The Kremlin is sending a clear message to America—it must compromise with Russia, or else lose in Afghanistan.

Russia is pushing America out of a vital air base in Central Asia. Last Wednesday, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced that the states of Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan would be joining with Russia to form a collective security alliance on par with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (nato).

The previous day, Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev announced that he would no longer allow the United States to use the strategic air base in Manas, Kyrgyzstan. The air base is key to America’s war in Afghanistan. One hundred and seventy thousand American personnel and 5,000 tons of equipment passed through the base last year, traveling to or from Afghanistan.

Bakiyev’s announcement came just minutes after Russia offered Kyrgyzstan significant financial incentives, including a $150 million grant, writing off $180 million of Kyrgyzstan’s debt, and a $300 million loan.

The timing is no coincidence. The U.S. and Russia have been in a bidding war over the base for some time: The U.S. pays to use it, and Russia is willing to pay Kyrgyzstan to kick the U.S. out.

In early December, the U.S. increased its annual payment to Kyrgyzstan from $80 million to $150 million, previously agreed upon, for the air base.

Later the same month, Russia offered a $2 billion “loan” to tempt Kyrgyzstan over to its side. Bishkek knows that Russia doesn’t expect the loan to be repaid.

Russia simply outbid the U.S.

But Russia has been using sticks as well as carrots. Since January 18, Kyrgyzstan has experienced several cyberattacks on Internet infrastructure. The attacks have been traced back to Russia. With Russia’s invasion of Georgia, many of the former Soviet satellite states are a little jumpy. The cyberattacks are an effective reminder that Russia is willing to take offensive action. Russia is taking control of the other former ussr states.

Meanwhile, Pakistan is falling apart. America needs to secure a new supply route to Afghanistan. It is so desperate that nato has even said it would permit member nations to make deals with Iran to find alternative supply routes.

U.S. President Barack Obama wants to “surge” 32,000 troops into Afghanistan. To do this, the U.S. needs Central Asia. But Russia is showing that if America wants to use Central Asia, it must now have Russian permission.

Look for Russia to obtain extra concessions in exchange for this permission, and to grow in power on the world scene.

For more on Russia’s increasing power, see our article “Russia Strikes, and Wins—Again!”