rssManas Airbase: Lost
Thursday, February 19, 2009 at 12:09 pm
- 4 Comments
Well, so much for last-ditch efforts to retain access to Kyrgyzstan’s massive Manas airbase, a key logistical hub for the Afghanistan war. Danger Room’s Nathan Hodge passes on word that the Kyrgyz parliament voted to evict the United States from the base after all. What’s next? Nathan thinks … Iran, maybe:
Intriguingly, the Afghanistan supply dilemma could provide potential for a diplomatic opening to Iran, which recently completed a road linking the Afghan towns of Delaram and Zaranj to southern seaports. The San Francisco Chronicle quotes Abbas Milani, director of the Iranian Studies Program at Stanford University, as saying: “I certainly think it [the road] represents an opportunity, particularly because it kind of takes up this relationship where it was last at its most amicable: that is, over Afghanistan.”
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4 Comments
Comment posted February 19, 2009 @ 5:13 pm
NATO presence crucial for Kyrgyzstan to prevent fascist regimes in Central Asia
17/11-2008 10:44, Bishkek – News Agency “24.kg”, By Daniyar KARIMOV
“Taking into consideration the fact that Central Asia is highly threatened by possible
spread of fascist regimes, NATO and the U.S. presence in Central Asia is crucial, as it
is only them who remain to be the activists for the liberal values and human rights
nowadays, “Askarbek Mambetaliev, a Kyrgyz political scientist said to the Open.kg.
“Freedom – is choice and alternatives. That is why every country’s policy should be
multivetor. Winston Churchill said ones, “England has neither everlasting friends nor
everlasting enemies, but has eternal interests,” Mambetaliev said.
“The state is not a human being who has to be loyal to somebody. All wise states in
the world run a multivetor policy. Look for example at the United States of America:
they are friends with Saudi Arabia and Kuwait because of oil, with Israel and Europe –
because of spiritual closeness, with Japan and South Korea- because of politics, with
Kyrgyzstan – because of democracy and stability. Take the policy of any developed state,
which works for its nation – all of them are multivector. Even Russia, which hosts a lot
of NATO programs and educational projects of Europe and the U.S.,” Mambetaliev said.
“In 1990s it was Russia’s initiative to “break up” with Kyrgyzstan. Russian authorities
themselves cooperate with the West, but when our politicians want to do the same, they
become jealous and start promoting anti-West moods. Kyrgyzstan should focus on the economic
interests. The borders for the economy and commerce are transparent, only if they are kept
open,” the political scientist added.
“For the sake of historical relationships Russia could have offered Kyrgyzstan a good
example of building a new society, good for everybody. Before I considered help only as
financial aspect, but now I believe that poverty is not a flaw. The worse evil is the
violence of the satisfied. For example, the money of the World Bank, UN and other donors
did not do well for the Kyrgyz nation. On the contrary, they helped to raise the fascistic
dictators, who want to take away the basic human freedoms – to believe and talk. That is
why the whole world has to work on the democratization of Russia, so that Kyrgyzstan would
have a secure and reliable neighbor, who respects good values,” Mambetaliev concluded.
URL: http://eng.24.kg/community/2008/11/17/6499.html
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Comment posted February 21, 2009 @ 2:40 pm
Although, this news agency is extremely pro-Russian and pro-Islamic, it's surprising that it published such a provocative article.
Comment posted February 21, 2009 @ 10:40 pm
Although, this news agency is extremely pro-Russian and pro-Islamic, it's surprising that it published such a provocative article.
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