Tajikistan teeters on the brink of failure. This mountainous and landlocked country, the poorest in Central Asia, confronts the challenges of good governance and economic survival. These domestic struggles become even more problematic as international forces prepare to withdraw from neighboring...

This article examines the relative advantages and disadvantages the various interested actors have in increasing their position in the Caspian, and how and why the playing field for decision-making within the region has changed in recent years.