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Abstract:
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This thesis examines United States security assistance provided to the former-Soviet countries since 1994. It shows that assistance to these countries has largely led to the promotion of U.S. strategic interests in the region. This has been accomplished through the formation of vertical coalitions integrating small and weak states into followership relations with the U.S., this leadership, as theorized by Fourth Variant Theory was expected, and found, to result in the policy alignment with the U.S. of recipient states, and support for U.S. strategic initiatives in the region. The thesis concludes that U.S. security assistance to these countries largely displays the promotion of U.S. strategic interests in the region, yet cautions that the U.S. must consider domestic and internal elements of partner countries such as human rights, governance, and various domestic issues that may complicate or disrupt cooperation gained through the provision of security assistance. |
