Kelly Wei

Patterson
AP Human Geography 2
26 January 2015

Pivot Article Summary

Revisiting the pivot: the influence of Halford Mackinder on analysis of Uzbekistans

international relations is a paper written by Nick Megoran that discusses the current status of
Uzbekistan in terms of its international relations with other countries, primarily focused on that
of the United States and Russia, as well as how the Mackinder idea influences and affects the
nature of these relations. The Mackinder idea, proposed in 1904 by Halford Mackinder in a paper
he published, suggests that the Eurasian continent is the pivot with which world history turns
on. One reason he believed this was because there existed copious amounts of resources within
the region, and he thought any country that could exercise control over aforementioned region
would eventually become an economic superpower of the world.
That being said, Megoran goes on to apply this idea to how the United States has
maintained relations with Uzbekistan. Chris Seiple, the President of the Institute for Global
Engagement, strongly advocated for the implementation of western values in Uzbekistan,
perhaps in the hopes of establishing some form of US presence within the country, thereby
strengthening its authority. Uzbekistan proved to be a vital tool for the US very early, and it was
essential to have their support. These sentiments only increased with the events of the September
11 attacks, when the US more or less went to war with Afghanistan.

Uzbekistan is important, as it ensures stability, prosperity and security in the broader

Central Asian region. It is also a key partner in the USs international efforts in Afghanistan,
primarily through the provision of electricity and railroads connecting Afghanistan and
Uzbekistan. US receives access to these resources by offering to improve the quality of life for
Uzbekistan citizens in exchange. Today, the two countries maintain close relations.