Comments on: Uzbekistan Allows US Access to Airbase http://registan.net/index.php/2008/03/05/uzbekistan-allows-us-access-to-airbase/ 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: Michael Hancock http://registan.net/index.php/2008/03/05/uzbekistan-allows-us-access-to-airbase/comment-page-1/#comment-376514 Michael Hancock Fri, 07 Mar 2008 16:50:28 +0000 http://www.registan.net/index.php/2008/03/05/uzbekistan-allows-us-access-to-airbase/#comment-376514 I like to think we didn't "come up" with those principles. I guess I'm naive. I like to think we didn’t “come up” with those principles. I guess I’m naive.

]]> By: Ataman Rakin http://registan.net/index.php/2008/03/05/uzbekistan-allows-us-access-to-airbase/comment-page-1/#comment-376513 Ataman Rakin Fri, 07 Mar 2008 14:06:30 +0000 http://www.registan.net/index.php/2008/03/05/uzbekistan-allows-us-access-to-airbase/#comment-376513 "Hopefully, the relationship will be cordial but at arms-length… and for god sakes I hope we don’t train or equip them again." Don't be naive. There's not reason why the realpolitik gone awry when supporting Saddam against Iran or propping up numerous African dictatorships at the time are not to be repeated in Uzbekistan. But then don't expect anyone among the population in Uzb to still like 'the West' in a number of years. Be ready to be hated. For this is seriously undermining the West's (US+EU) overall credibility in the region. People started to wonder already a couple of years ago after the US first came into Uzb: the West comes up with all those roaring principles, democracy, human rights and what all, ... But then either they are not capable of pushing them through (cf. the slimy and even outrightly submissive attitude towards Karimov, Israël, etc.) or else don't even live up to them (cf. Abu Graib). “Hopefully, the relationship will be cordial but at arms-length… and for god sakes I hope we don’t train or equip them again.”

Don’t be naive. There’s not reason why the realpolitik gone awry when supporting Saddam against Iran or propping up numerous African dictatorships at the time are not to be repeated in Uzbekistan. But then don’t expect anyone among the population in Uzb to still like ‘the West’ in a number of years. Be ready to be hated.

For this is seriously undermining the West’s (US+EU) overall credibility in the region. People started to wonder already a couple of years ago after the US first came into Uzb: the West comes up with all those roaring principles, democracy, human rights and what all, … But then either they are not capable of pushing them through (cf. the slimy and even outrightly submissive attitude towards Karimov, Israël, etc.) or else don’t even live up to them (cf. Abu Graib).

]]> By: brian http://registan.net/index.php/2008/03/05/uzbekistan-allows-us-access-to-airbase/comment-page-1/#comment-376505 brian Thu, 06 Mar 2008 18:18:49 +0000 http://www.registan.net/index.php/2008/03/05/uzbekistan-allows-us-access-to-airbase/#comment-376505 ^ I think that's what a lot of us may be afraid of. Whether we do support the Uzbek security services (again) or not, this may be the impression regardless. Hopefully, the relationship will be cordial but at arms-length... and for god sakes I hope we don't train or equip them again. ^ I think that’s what a lot of us may be afraid of. Whether we do support the Uzbek security services (again) or not, this may be the impression regardless. Hopefully, the relationship will be cordial but at arms-length… and for god sakes I hope we don’t train or equip them again.

]]> By: Ataman Rakin http://registan.net/index.php/2008/03/05/uzbekistan-allows-us-access-to-airbase/comment-page-1/#comment-376504 Ataman Rakin Thu, 06 Mar 2008 17:11:30 +0000 http://www.registan.net/index.php/2008/03/05/uzbekistan-allows-us-access-to-airbase/#comment-376504 "but I’m not sure what this means for the rest of the population." Great! They can be shot by Uzbek Spetsnaz armed/equipped with American weapons/gear and trained by Israeli mercenaries. “but I’m not sure what this means for the rest of the population.”

Great! They can be shot by Uzbek Spetsnaz armed/equipped with American weapons/gear and trained by Israeli mercenaries.

]]> By: Dolkun http://registan.net/index.php/2008/03/05/uzbekistan-allows-us-access-to-airbase/comment-page-1/#comment-376503 Dolkun Thu, 06 Mar 2008 15:37:32 +0000 http://www.registan.net/index.php/2008/03/05/uzbekistan-allows-us-access-to-airbase/#comment-376503 ... or the opposite. It may be a sign that the U.S. has put aside the multilateral agenda in favor of security ties. I'm happy for those Uzbeks who are no longer denied the right to buy printed flowers, but I'm not sure what this means for the rest of the population. (And the flower thing sounds like the kind of thing that if one of the daughters isn't involved in already, it may prove too hard to resist.) … or the opposite. It may be a sign that the U.S. has put aside the multilateral agenda in favor of security ties. I’m happy for those Uzbeks who are no longer denied the right to buy printed flowers, but I’m not sure what this means for the rest of the population.

(And the flower thing sounds like the kind of thing that if one of the daughters isn’t involved in already, it may prove too hard to resist.)

]]> By: Mister Ghost http://registan.net/index.php/2008/03/05/uzbekistan-allows-us-access-to-airbase/comment-page-1/#comment-376498 Mister Ghost Thu, 06 Mar 2008 03:51:36 +0000 http://www.registan.net/index.php/2008/03/05/uzbekistan-allows-us-access-to-airbase/#comment-376498 A warming up of relations between Uzbekistan and the US is certainly a good thing for the Uzbek people. They might actually get a few decent ice cream stores in Tashkent. An American company, Speaking Roses just signed an agreement with the Uzbek company Butterflies & Flowers to print designs on flowers - it's apparently the hottest craze in the floral industry in the US - so we seem to be seeing these incremental steps towards better Uzbek - US relations. Maybe it has something to do with the upcoming American election? A warming up of relations between Uzbekistan and the US is certainly a good thing for the Uzbek people. They might actually get a few decent ice cream stores in Tashkent. An American company, Speaking Roses just signed an agreement with the Uzbek company Butterflies & Flowers to print designs on flowers – it’s apparently the hottest craze in the floral industry in the US – so we seem to be seeing these incremental steps towards better Uzbek – US relations. Maybe it has something to do with the upcoming American election?

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