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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| US evicted from Uzbek air base |
| 2005-07-30 |
| UZBEKISTAN has evicted the United States from a military base that has served as a hub for combat and humanitarian missions to Afghanistan since shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, the Washington Post reported today. A notice to leave Karshi-Khanabad air base, also known as K2, was delivered by a courier from the Uzbek Foreign Ministry to the US Embassy in Tashkent, the newspaper said, citing an unnamed senior US administrative official involved in Central Asia policy. Uzbekistan will give the United States 180 days to move aircraft, personnel and equipment, the newspaper said. It said the United States expects Uzbekistan to follow through on the eviction notice and the action would create logistical problems for US operations in Afghanistan. A Pentagon spokesman had no immediate comment on the report. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #9 Now is the time to roll over Islam Karamov(Uzbekistan's "president") and his pretty little mini-me daughter too. Kill them and drag them throught the streets as a gesture of unity with the Uzbeki people. This fuck needs to be killed today. Building a democratic government in Uzbekistan is just as important as securing Iraq to or strategic future. It would meet two goals: 1 a permanent military presence in central asia, bringing within reach all of Central asia, Russia, and China. Very strategic.Although currently bases in Kyrgystan can fulfill this goal, thanks to Rummy's recent trip and negotiation to keep our Kyrgystani airfields. 2. a stable democratic government in Central Asia would be the biggest victory against radical islam in the region. The wahhabbis are profiting immensely from a crackdown on freedom of religion by Karamov's regime. It would be a great show of moral superiority were we to assist a largely muslim citizenry revolution against this a$$hole and his puppet govt. Otherwise Uzbekistan wil be another Chechnya, where non radical nationalist fighters were forced to find allies in the jihadis. We should direct them away from global jihad and if possible deradicalize them before they go past the point of no return. Maybe , maybe not.Maybe too late. And IMHO assisting with a Uzbeki peoples' revolution against a Stalinist bitch boy would be the best and easiest way to stabilze a section of the region. EP |
| Posted by: ElvisHasLeftTheBuilding 2005-07-30 13:43 |
| #8 And the Rooskies too. About 6 months ago the Rooskies even hosted an alleged conference for Uzbeks specializing or associated with natural resources. The natural resources found within Uzbekistan like other stans in the neighborhood have some folks frothing at the mouth. Funny thing about the conference back in late DEC '04... it was held in D.C. And who paid for the air fare and accomodations do you think? Hmm.... Life is so full of intrique. |
| Posted by: Threth Greregum9255 2005-07-30 12:52 |
| #7 I do not recall the source, but hasn't the ChiComs been doing overtures to Uzbekistan? |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2005-07-30 12:25 |
| #6 If evicted, I'd try to leave in a gracious manner, governments are far from permanent in that region. maybe instead of government, mean alliances/interests etc. Betty CROCKER CRATS et.al. lsmft |
| Posted by: Shipman 2005-07-30 10:49 |
| #5 The former Soviet base will just return back to it's old dilipiated self. We spent a lot of money on bringing it up to minimal functionality. Hopefully we remove all the improvements we installed before the government workers loot the place after we are gone. Perhaps we could dump sand & sugar into the fuel pods we installed there too. After all, who is to say that Uzbekistan will not fall within 5 years to radicals with a fatwa against anyone not like them too? |
| Posted by: Threth Greregum9255 2005-07-30 10:11 |
| #4 The situation in the stans is like the old 'Who's on First' routine. Moving out of the Phillipines was also termed as creating logitistical problems by the brass at the Pentagon. Tough. Sometimes we not here to make your job easier by selling out principles. We need to keep that to the absolute minimum. |
| Posted by: Sholuth Ulomonter3734 2005-07-30 09:46 |
| #3 Relationships will shift continually for a while in Central Asia. |
| Posted by: too true 2005-07-30 09:29 |
| #2 I thought Uzbekistan was America's friend, and key ally in the War on Terror? |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2005-07-30 09:25 |
| #1 Should we leave it in the condition it was when we arrived? That's a standard clause in residential rental agreements, after all. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2005-07-30 06:10 |