It seemed pretty dire when announced, the loss for the US of that base in Kyrgyzstan, which is a mere 90 minutes by air from the theater of conflict in Afghanistan. Russia doesn't want a US presence in any of the former SSRs, and it came through with a long-discussed $2bn aid package to Kyrgyzstan recently. There was of course no relationship between the aid and the Kyrgyz government's decision!
But the BBC reports:
Meanwhile, diplomatic sources say that the US is close to a deal with Uzbekistan as part of back-up plan.
Uh, assuming this ends up being true, isn't this better from the US perspective? Uzbekistan is just as close and even actually borders Afghanistan, which Kyrgyzstan does not.
The US abandoned its air base in Uzbekistan after a human rights dispute a few years ago. Uzbekistan is rather famous in certain circles for its abhorrent human rights record. Kyrgyzstan is only marginally better. So it doesn't appear that a great principle is involved here.
Of course, I'm aware that most of you will comment to the effect that the US needs this base merely for the purpose of perpetrating murderous war crimes against innocent Afghan people, and Obama, who wants to increase troops there, is no different from Kissinger, etc.
I should say that I'm very nervous about the whole situation. Also that naturally, air strikes that harm civilian populations are disturbing. Also, on the other hand, that given the way al-Qaida seems to use civilian pops as cover, one can see the difficulty involved.
And finally, I have to say without apology that I supported the US invasion of Afghanistan. Yep, even under Bush. Afghanistan gave safe haven and support and comfort to the people who attacked us. No country can turn the other cheek in those circumstances. We had the right and even the obligation to go into Afghanistan.
But, as with everything under Bush, we did it badly -- only about 12,000 soldiers at the start, because they held back troops for their planned invasion of Iraq (which I strongly opposed, despite some commenters' occasional insistence that I supported it, based on an erroneous supposition by Anatol Lieven in The Nation, who later issued an apology to me and became my friend).
Anyway, now, Afghanistan is one more Bush mess Obama has to clean up.
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