Comments on: Long-Term Bases in Afghanistan http://registan.net/index.php/2005/03/16/long-term-bases-in-afghanistan/ Central Asia News -- All Central Asia, All The Time Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:53:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Nathan http://registan.net/index.php/2005/03/16/long-term-bases-in-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-7855 Nathan Thu, 17 Mar 2005 14:59:09 +0000 http://www.registan.net/?p=4723#comment-7855 Hmmm.. can't find what I was looking for, so maybe you're right. I know that the 2002 aid package that was so often criticized for being so big was about half payments for Karshi -- not what we traditionally consider aid. If geopolitics are a major concern though, having an option to move all operations to Afghanistan is still a powerful lever. Hmmm.. can’t find what I was looking for, so maybe you’re right. I know that the 2002 aid package that was so often criticized for being so big was about half payments for Karshi — not what we traditionally consider aid.

If geopolitics are a major concern though, having an option to move all operations to Afghanistan is still a powerful lever.

]]> By: Laurence http://registan.net/index.php/2005/03/16/long-term-bases-in-afghanistan/comment-page-1/#comment-7846 Laurence Thu, 17 Mar 2005 14:19:23 +0000 http://www.registan.net/?p=4723#comment-7846 Yes an Afghan base would be interesting, but I don't think the US is paying any rent at all for Khanabad, you can check this, but I believe use of the air base was provided free as a gift by the Uzbek government to support US operations in Afghanistan. Uzbekistan has geopolitical reasons ro want a US presence, to balance other powers including Russia and China, in order to maintain a little independent wriggle-room... Yes an Afghan base would be interesting, but I don’t think the US is paying any rent at all for Khanabad, you can check this, but I believe use of the air base was provided free as a gift by the Uzbek government to support US operations in Afghanistan.

Uzbekistan has geopolitical reasons ro want a US presence, to balance other powers including Russia and China, in order to maintain a little independent wriggle-room…

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