The US strikes out

[lovuian]

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/GH02Ag01.html
snip...
Growing conflicts
In light of the July 5 SCO declaration, it is clear that something has changed significantly in Washington-Moscow relations vis-a-vis Central Asia. One likely reason could be the increasing hardball approach by the US toward Iran, particularly since the recent presidential election victory of of Mahmud Ahmadinejad. Within the neo-conservative community, which has a strong backer in Vice President Dick Cheney, a consensus is emerging that military action against Iran might have to be carried out as Tehran is thought to be developing nuclear weapons. It is evident that neither Russia nor China, the pillars in the SCO, likes these developments.

snip...

It is interesting to note that Uzbekistan served the eviction notice in the American base only 24 hours after Marc Perrin de Brichambaut, the secretary general of the 55-member Organization for Security and Cooperation of Europe (OSCE), left Uzbekistan. Brichambaut had stressed the need to strengthen the relationship between the OSCE and Tashkent during his talks with Karimov and Foreign Minister Elyer Ganiyev on July 28.
snip...

At the same time, there exists a fear in the Pentagon that the dismantling of K2 will not only give the SCO a major victory, but may lead to eventual withdrawal from Central Asia.

At a news conference on July 28, the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, General Richard Myers, underlined Central Asia, and Uzbekistan's, importance to the US. He said, "Central Asia is important to the United States for lots of reasons, not just for operations in Afghanistan ... Security and stability in Central Asia is an important concept, and those that can bring security and stability ought to be welcomed in Central Asia. Uzbekistan is a very important country over there."
more...

Its always interesting to see the Bush diplomacy at its best!!!

[Sabriel]

1. Gone are the days...

when people listened to US envoys and took them seriously. Thanks, *uckers!

[AuntiBush]

3. And the days of "DIPLOMACY" for all of HUMANITY!

Your last 2 words says it all for me. Damn them!

[bemildred]

2. I consider this an interesting occurrence.

Possibly indicative of the beginning of rapid change. There are a number of other signs that the situation in the ME and Central Asia is becoming untenable (the blather about a "drawdown" for example. It will be most interesting to see if there is any substantive response from the US to the Uzbek notice, I would think not.

[burrowowl]

4. Keep your

fingers crossed!

[lovuian]

5. Its all interconnected with America expanding into closer

proximity to Russia and China!!! They are no fools!!!

[wli]

6. they want Iran first

Shutting down Iran shuts down one of their major oil trading partners, and then they can move in on China and Russia, who are weakened after losing their oil source (and neither of which has the foreign military presence to retaliate with a similar gesture despite extremely long US supply lines).

[MisterP]

8. the Central Asian dictators want to avoid being kicked out by

rightist or revolutionary forces, like King Carol II or Somoza (or roasted by Iran when we invade)

[bemildred]

14. I figure that is part of it.

I'm assuming they think getting in bed with Pooty-Poot and China is safer than getting in bed with the US, an opinion I would agree with. The current US foreign policy wonks are not to be trusted at all, they are 100% expediency driven.

[RONSTOO]

7. Uzbekistan prob got word from Russia....get them out

this is a shot across the bow...very interesting as Putin has no love
for Bushco. Note the recent pact with China.

[RONSTOO]

9. hundreds of innocents get murdered and the Bush admin

stays quiet for 3 days????????



quote :



The Bush administration, by all accounts, has made advancing democracy and human rights in the world the centrepiece of its foreign policy. When popular revolution took place in Georgia, Urkraine, and Kyrgyzstan, they hailed and strongly supported it. President Bush visited Georgia recently to show his solidarity to its US-aligned president, much to the irritation of Russia.
However, when on May 13, hundreds of unarmed civilians were killed by security forces in Andijan, the fourth biggest city in Uzbekistan, the Bush administration kept quiet for three days before it expressed its concern.

[RONSTOO]

10. hmmmm

quote:



The Bush administration is preparing to issue a last-ditch warning to Uzbekistan through senior U.S. officials, possibly even President Bush, that Tashkent must allow an international inquiry into the bloodiest unrest since that former Soviet republic gained independence -- or face the danger of unraveling politically like Ukraine, Georgia and Kyrgyzstan, according to U.S. and European officials.

The gambit, the details of which are still being worked out, is part of a bigger-stakes rivalry, reminiscent of the Cold War, that pits the United States and Western allies against Russia and China for influence in Central Asia.

[RONSTOO]

11. wasted money

Wonderful how our war on terror can spend billions on Uzbek military infastracture and then they go and join the Shanghai Cooperative started by the Chinese and Russians.

[cliss]

12. Interesting developments.

Could this be where the struggle is being waged?

The US is up to its armpits in Central Asia. We're pulling strings....wonder how desperate they are in Washington right now?

Something is definitely up.

I'm going to follow these stories for the next few days.

[bemildred]

13. Oh, yea, we have them "surrounded".

Hang onto that tarbaby, Brer Rabbit.