In a momentous move, the Russian defense minister, Sergei Ivanov, yesterday said the United States could use military facilities in Tajikistan to launch strikes on neighboring Afghanistan “if the need arises,” marking the first time Russia has publicly approved what would be an unprecedented U.S. military presence in former Soviet Central Asia. Leaders of several Central Asian countries in recent days have publicly offered use of their airspace and military facilities to the United States. Since Ivanov’s first statement, Putin has held lengthy consultations with leaders of Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan. Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev said on Monday he was ready to allow U.S. warplanes to launch strikes from [his airspace]. Kyrgyzstan’s President Askar Ayakev … said, “We are ready to provide our airspace.” But the free Central Asian countries that border Afghanistan have been less forthcoming.