Two centuries ago, Russia and Britain fought a war of influence over a region that rarely makes headlines: Central Asia. Today, a new game of influence is taking place in that same region, this time between the U.S., Russia and China. 

• NUCLEAR TAKEOUT:  In Prague today, President Obama signs a treaty signaling a "New START" for the nuclear non-proliferation era. Is this a groundbreaking event or a mere photo op?  Larry Korb, who served as the assistant secretary of defense under the Reagan Administration, offers us his informed analysis.
• KYRGYZSTAN: A popular uprising in the Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan has boiled over into a coup. Alexander Cooley, political scientist at Columbia University's Harriman Institute, explains.

Yesterday President Obama announced that he is scrapping the Bush administration's plans for a land-based missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic. He's opting instead to focus on a defense system that would intercept shorter-range missiles from Iran. This move has upset Poland and the Czech Republic, but pleased Russia, who was against Bush's plan. Is this an intelligent decision based on new information about Iran's weapons? Or will it empower Russia and Iran at the expense of American allies? We speak to former U.S. Ambassador John Bolton, who served under President Bush, and to Alexander Cooley, professor of International Relations and Foreign Policy at Barnard College. (Click through for a full interview transcript.)