▁ ▁The ▁government ▁maintain s ▁a ▁command ▁and ▁staff ▁college ▁for ▁the ▁military ▁in ▁T ash k ent , ▁based ▁on ▁the ▁former ▁Soviet ▁TV OK U ▁higher ▁command ▁college . ▁ ▁History ▁▁ ▁T ash k ent , ▁the ▁capital ▁of ▁U z bek istan , ▁used ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁headquarters ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Turk est an ▁Military ▁District ▁and ▁on ▁ 2 0 ▁February ▁ 1 9 9 2 , ▁the ▁new ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Def ence ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁offices ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁formerly ▁occupied ▁by ▁the ▁district ▁headquarters ▁staff . ▁The ▁U z bek ▁SS R ▁had ▁the ▁strong est ▁Soviet ▁military ▁presence ▁of ▁the ▁other ▁Central ▁Asian ▁Republic s , ▁cont rolling ▁its ▁own ▁and ▁operating ▁its ▁own ▁domestic ▁Ministry ▁of ▁In ternal ▁Affairs ▁( M VD ) ▁independent ▁of ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁In ternal ▁Affairs ▁of ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union . ▁On ▁ 2 ▁July ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁a ▁President ial ▁Dec ree ▁established ▁a ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Def ence ▁to ▁su pers ede ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Def ence ▁Affairs . ▁Over ▁the ▁succeed ing ▁years , ▁U z bek istan ▁replaced ▁Russian ▁officers ▁with ▁eth nic ▁U z be ks ▁and ▁rest ruct ured ▁the ▁military ▁to ▁focus ▁on ▁targets ▁like ▁civil ▁un rest , ▁drug ▁tra ff ick ing , ▁and ▁H iz b - ut - T ah rir . ▁ ▁Activ ities ▁and ▁foreign ▁relations ▁After ▁the ▁September ▁ 1 1 , ▁ 2 0 0 1 ▁attacks , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁le ased