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    Political, security and economic developments in Central Asia

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    Political, security and economic developments in Central Asia Empty Political, security and economic developments in Central Asia

    Post  Russian Patriot Wed Aug 19, 2009 1:36 am

    Uzbek leader seeks to strengthen ties with U.S.
    RIA Novosti

    21:04 18/08/2009 TASHKENT, August 18 (RIA Novosti) - The president of Uzbekistan told a top U.S. military official on Tuesday that his country is ready to strengthen ties with the United States on equal partnership terms.

    Islam Karimov met with Gen. David H. Petraeus, commander of the U.S. Central Command, who is in Tashkent on a one-day visit.

    "Petraeus told Karimov that the current U.S. administration is interested in cooperation with Uzbekistan in several areas," the Uzbek leader's spokesperson told RIA Novosti.

    "During the conversation, the sides exchanged opinions on perspectives for Uzbek-U.S. relations, and also on other issues of mutual interest."

    Ties between the two countries have been strained since mid-2005, when Uzbekistan ousted the U.S. Air Force from the Karshi-Khanabad base, which had been used for operations in neighboring Afghanistan since 2001. The move followed condemnation by the U.S. and other Western countries of the May 2005 Andijan massacre, when Uzbek troops opened fire on a crowd of protesters.

    http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/news/2009/08/mil-090818-rianovosti12.htm
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    Post  Corrosion Fri Oct 07, 2011 12:17 pm

    This is interesting news.

    If India can lease this airbase or join some form of joint operation from this airbase, it will go a long way as far as Indian perspective is concerned. This move will be seriously opposed by China and also Pakistan. It is going to be interesting next few years. When US + NATO leave Afghanistan it will be interesting to see how strong Pakistan is going to be in Afghanistan. If Pakistan is strong enough in Afghanistan then it will kick India out of Afghanistan as I suspect taliban will be anti India and Karzai and Co. will not last long against Taliban, sponsored by money from Saudi Arabia and China (Via PAkistan ofcourse) Agian India will have to support some sort of Northern Alliance in Afghanistan. BAck to pre 2001 position for India after spending billions in infrastructure development in Afghanistan. I think this airbase is some sort of back up plan if the worst case scenario plays out as far as India is concerned.

    If taliban wins back Afghanistan from US supported regime then it will be a huge moral victory for TAliban and their backers. Central Asia has big muslim population and it will eventually be the place where future proxy wars will be fought and this region is going to become very unstable. There are going to be a large number of powers looking for some sort of control here eg. Turkey, Iran, Pakistan+Taliban+Saudi, US, China, India and Russia.

    As far as Russia is concerned it is in its best interest that problems of Afghanistan don't spill into Central Asia. Either way if US wins or looses in Afghanistan, it is a loose loose situation for Russia. They have two choices I think
    1. engage Pakistan and its supporters
    2. form some sort of strong military alliance in Central Asia and stop any plans of jihad backers to export jihad to central Asia.

    Clearly one is a passive approach and second is an active one.

    A lot hinges on US of A how it goes in next few years with respect to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

    And people, this military base is just a small tool in grand scheme of things.
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    Post  GarryB Sat Oct 08, 2011 2:53 am

    What I don't understand is how will India operate a base in Tajikistan?

    India has no land border with Afghanistan or Tajikistan... to get to an air base in Tajikistan from India you will need to either over fly Pakistan and Afghanistan or China.

    The Taleban kept a tight hand on illegal drug production in Afghanistan, the Russians certainly supported the Northern Alliance, but at the end of the day if the Taleban win and go back to doing what they did before the US/UK etc arrived then Russia really doesn't have a huge amount to worry about.

    The Taleban will deal with the drug trade and life in Afghanistan for the Afghans will become unbearable again but for the neighbours of Afghanistan things will quieten down.

    The only friendly neighbour would be Pakistan, but Iran and China and Tajikistan will simply increase their border security... I am sure the Russians will assist Tajikistan with UAVs and other support, but with the Taleban treating the poppy fields as unislamic the Russians will not longer have to worry about new drugs being produced and trafficked into Russia... the existing stocks will be a problem which border patrols can deal with, but even if the Taleban take all of Afghanistan they are not strong enough and never will be strong enough to invade a neighbouring country... and are therefore little threat.

    The main problem is that while the US/UK etc forces are there the poppy farmers are protected... so the sooner they leave the better.
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    Post  Corrosion Sat Oct 08, 2011 8:19 am

    GarryB wrote:What I don't understand is how will India operate a base in Tajikistan?

    India has no land border with Afghanistan or Tajikistan... to get to an air base in Tajikistan from India you will need to either over fly Pakistan and Afghanistan or China.

    Actually these news about India leasing a base in Tajikistan has been going on from about 10 years now.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayni_Air_Base &
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farkhor_Air_Base

    To look at this you have to look at how situation is going to pan out. IF US+NATO leaves Afghanistan with Pakistan in dominant position in Afghanistan a new sort of Taliban will come into being which will be friendly to Pakistan as it also will be supplied militarily and economically by Pakistan. It will be a new problem for IRAN as well. Now I dont think India will do it everything by itself and you can expect some sort of alliance again much like Northern Alliance, which will be supported by Russia, Iran and some other "like minded" countries in Central Asia. So, problems associated with over flying will be solved through Western and Northern side. As I said this has to be back up plan as far as India is concerned. India have to wait it out when US leaves the theatre, whether Karzai govt. is strong in Afghanistan and if India gets some say in Afghanistan for all the non military it has done in Afghanistan. India has very good goodwill in Afghanistan as far as everybody except Taliban is concerned. So taliban must not come into power in Afghanistan as far as Indian interests go. If US leaves defeated/dejected then it will mean things have gone badly and it is not going to end good for Karzai and co. and other anti taliban people in Afghanistan. Old scores will be settled. Have you heard that all Afghanistan leaders have been assassinated. No one has died natural death.

    It will be of great strategic importance for India to have a base in Tajikistan, if some sort of arrangement can be reached with Tajikistan and ofcource Russia. All the costs of overfying few more countries can be justified. Remember we will have all the required equipment to make it possible for example big transports such as C-17. But I dont think India will have a capability to deploy anything more than a squadron of fighters there, even that is stretching it. If it is a shared base with everyone involved contribution it will be in best interest for everyone involved.

    The Taleban kept a tight hand on illegal drug production in Afghanistan, the Russians certainly supported the Northern Alliance, but at the end of the day if the Taleban win and go back to doing what they did before the US/UK etc arrived then Russia really doesn't have a huge amount to worry about.

    Russia's main worry will be Central Asia turning "politically" Islamic. Poverty is rampant in Central Asia and I don't be surprised if they are exploited by "rich" Arabic speaking countries down the line based on their shared religion similarly like Afghans. Look current generation of Central Asia are not very religious, having been brought up with Soviet values. but are bets are off when you consider newer generation. Central Asia is up for grabs, frankly speaking and to put it bluntly.

    The Taleban will deal with the drug trade and life in Afghanistan for the Afghans will become unbearable again but for the neighbours of Afghanistan things will quieten down.

    Garry, Do you really think drug trade is the biggest worry for its neighbors?

    The only friendly neighbour would be Pakistan, but Iran and China and Tajikistan will simply increase their border security... I am sure the Russians will assist Tajikistan with UAVs and other support, but with the Taleban treating the poppy fields as unislamic the Russians will not longer have to worry about new drugs being produced and trafficked into Russia... the existing stocks will be a problem which border patrols can deal with, but even if the Taleban take all of Afghanistan they are not strong enough and never will be strong enough to invade a neighbouring country... and are therefore little threat.
    You dont have to invade another country to do things. e.g. Pakistan never invaded Afghanistan.

    The main problem is that while the US/UK etc forces are there the poppy farmers are protected... so the sooner they leave the better.
    No, not for India or Iran or some others for that matter. Look it is their decision to leave or stay after all. But they have a big hand in problems in Afghanistan, they should stay there, not to mention it is going to create even bigger problems in whole region and for their own interests in the region.
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    Political, security and economic developments in Central Asia Empty This is interesting news.

    Post  GarryB Sun Oct 09, 2011 4:13 am

    IF US+NATO leaves Afghanistan with Pakistan in dominant position in Afghanistan a new sort of Taliban will come into being which will be friendly to Pakistan as it also will be supplied militarily and economically by Pakistan.

    That is not a new Taliban... it is the same old Taliban.

    The CIA drones killing innocent civilians in Pakistan are trying to get Taliban based in Pakistan. The Taliban operate openly in Pakistan because Pakistan supports them and has supported them in the past.

    It will be a new problem for IRAN as well.

    It is the same old problem for Iran and Russia.

    The US did a huge favour for Iran in both Afghanistan AND in Iraq, which is why Iran has done diddly squat to interfere.
    Saddam was a Sunni muslim... like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
    NOT a Shia muslim like Iran.
    The US did Iran a favour by removing the Sunni muslims from power in Iraq and Afghanistan, and when they leave Iran can expect a Shia majority government in Iraq because the Shia are the majority...
    In Afghanistan... well no one can guess what will happen there... most of the west believed that when the Soviets left in 1989 that the muj would sweep straight into power within a year, but with the Soviets gone they spent more time fighting amongst themselves and the puppet regime stayed in power till the mid 1990s against all experts best estimates.

    A fully supported and funded Taliban could easily sweep aside the current opposition as it is mostly US/UK based... when they leave however, I think there will be turmoil, but I think the US will leave behind enough "advisers" to allow the current regime to survive a while, but it all depends about the outside support for the Taliban from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, and how that compares with the support the other factions get from Russia, Iran, and the US.

    If Russia and the US support the same factions they might hold out longer than most believe... especially if Iranian backed factions can be brought on board too... if not then it will be an all out multiple way conflict that will destroy all that has been built and Afghanistan will stay poor and fked up.

    Have you heard that all Afghanistan leaders have been assassinated. No one has died natural death.

    Very few warlords in war torn countries die natural deaths.

    Russia's main worry will be Central Asia turning "politically" Islamic.

    The Talibans harsh rule of Afghanistan while they were in power is the best defence against the spread of their power. The Taliban were welcomed into power as liberators but pretty soon the people realised that even communism is not so harsh as the Talibans form of rule.

    Poverty is rampant in Central Asia and I don't be surprised if they are exploited by "rich" Arabic speaking countries down the line based on their shared religion similarly like Afghans. Look current generation of Central Asia are not very religious, having been brought up with Soviet values. but are bets are off when you consider newer generation. Central Asia is up for grabs, frankly speaking and to put it bluntly.

    The terrible irony is that there is enormous wealth beneath their feet in Afghanistan, but it is made worse because the people of Afghanistan have no chance to benefit from it no matter what happens. Either the Taliban will rule and might exploit it on the side to generate revenue, or America will win and western companies will go in like they do in oil rich countries and bribe officials and take most of the wealth for themselves...

    Garry, Do you really think drug trade is the biggest worry for its neighbors?

    Yes.

    This isn't cold war part two... the new threat isn't the spread of radical islam... the threat is law and order and quality of life. Solve those problems and Russia will be happy, and apart from the flow of drugs from Afghanistan then Afghanistan has little to interest Russia. Russia should be helping Tajikistan to better patrol its rugged borders with UAV technology and indeed UCAV technology, as well as training and equipping border patrol personnel.
    For Afghanistan it can be a customer for small arms and helicopters and vehicles, but I can't see Russia going back in there again... the last time it was a country on their border... now it is a country on their neighbours border.
    They can certainly offer a helping hand to Karzai and let Afghanistan join the CSTO and similar orgs, but at the end of the day the Taliban are not fighting Russia, so civil relations should be possible if they prevail too.

    You dont have to invade another country to do things. e.g. Pakistan never invaded Afghanistan.

    That is quite true, but Russia is not allowed a sphere of influence so because Afghanistan is not a direct neighbour then interests can only be commercial.

    No, not for India or Iran or some others for that matter. Look it is their decision to leave or stay after all. But they have a big hand in problems in Afghanistan, they should stay there, not to mention it is going to create even bigger problems in whole region and for their own interests in the region.

    I doubt Iran prefer US/UK forces in Afghanistan over the Taliban and in many ways the same is true for Russia. Afghanistan was a perfectly containable problem when the Taliban had almost total control, and I don't see why that would be any different if they seize power again.

    Of course if they do try to seize power again with US/UK forces out of the country it is highly likely the US will stop them. I rather doubt the US/UK forces will pull out completely, they will have special forces "advisors" left behind able to call in air support from nearby... either UAV air bases in Afghanistan or Tajikistan as eyes and ears at the very least.
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    Political, security and economic developments in Central Asia Empty Kyrgyzstan Wants U.S. out of Manas in 2014

    Post  George1 Tue Feb 21, 2012 2:50 am

    http://en.rian.ru/mlitary_news/20120220/171419840.html

    The Kyrgyz president reiterated on Monday that the United States must withdraw all its troops from the Manas airbase in Kyrgyzstan when the current lease agreement expires in the summer of 2014.

    The U.S. began operations at the Manas base near the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek in 2001 in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks to support military operations against the Taliban in Afghanistan. It remains a key supply facility for the ongoing military campaign there.

    “There must be no foreign military contingent at the civil airport in Manas after the summer of 2014,” President Almazbek Atambayev was quoted as saying at a meeting with U.S. delegation led by Assistant Deputy Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Susan Elliott.

    As soon as Atambayev assumed his post last November, he stated that Kyrgyzstan would not prolong the lease contract with the U.S. saying that he did not want a third country carrying out a retaliatory strike against the civilian airport.

    The U.S. base serves now as a major transit point for supplying troops in Afghanistan. It also hosts a fleet of coalition aerial tankers for refueling fighter and surveillance aircraft used in Afghanistan.
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    Post  GarryB Mon Feb 27, 2012 10:04 am

    Not very often the US sets up a base and then voluntarily leaves when it is not in their interests to leave.

    I can pretty much only think of Cam Rahn Bay in Vietnam...
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    Post  SOC Mon Feb 27, 2012 9:23 pm

    This has nearly happened once before with Manas. We were ready and willing to leave (and were working out the relevant contingencies), but an extension was worked out. Given that history, I don't doubt that we'd pick up and go if they stick with this course of action. You can be sure that the State Department is trying to work out just what Atambayev wants in return for another extension, but if he sticks to his guns then we'll be gone in 2014.
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    Post  GarryB Mon Feb 27, 2012 11:29 pm

    That is the point... I think the Americans just think he wants some more cash on the side for himself or his family, or to negotiate more money.

    The fact is that he probably sees the US presence in his country as a problem after they leave Afghanistan because it might become a focus for revenge by the Taleban or even Iran.

    I rather suspect he also has objections to military use of a civilian airport.

    The Russian base in his country was supposed to be part of the cooperation between the two countries where the Russians train local pilots and assist with monitoring the enormous border area.

    I think it was not as high a priority for the Air Force as this is largely a political thing, but now that the leader of Kyrgyzstan has spoken to the Russian political leadership about rent owed and lack of training the Russian AF will get the word and the rent will be paid and pilots will start training.

    Personally I would think it would be an ideal place to start testing UAVs for border security.
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    Post  SOC Tue Feb 28, 2012 2:54 am

    GarryB wrote:That is the point... I think the Americans just think he wants some more cash on the side for himself or his family, or to negotiate more money.

    Can't fault State for trying, though, since it did work with the Kyrgyz government at least once before. But at the end of the day, like I said, if they want us out, we'll be gone. Almost happened once already.

    GarryB wrote:The fact is that he probably sees the US presence in his country as a problem after they leave Afghanistan because it might become a focus for revenge by the Taleban or even Iran.

    The Taliban is that stupid. Eventually we'll have enough logistic issues that we'll leave Afghanistan regardless, you'd think they'd recognize that if they waited they could simply run the entire show again. Although, performing cross-border quasi-military strikes may provide the impetus for using Afghanistan as a cruise missile disposal area again.

    Iran? Not sure if they're that stupid or not. How many nations are just waiting for an excuse to blow something up in Iran? There's two obvious ones, and some less obvious ones in the region that might not be averse to the Shi'a Persians getting smacked down a few pegs.

    GarryB wrote:I rather suspect he also has objections to military use of a civilian airport.

    Interesting example of the possible differing viewpoints between "us" and "them". That'd never even be a question over here. Hell, we fly ANG combat aircraft out of major airports all the time. One example I can think of is the Missouri ANG flying F-15s out of the St. Louis Int'l Airport. And that isn't just using the field for touch-and-gos, they're actually based there.

    GarryB wrote:The Russian base in his country was supposed to be part of the cooperation between the two countries where the Russians train local pilots and assist with monitoring the enormous border area.

    I think it was not as high a priority for the Air Force as this is largely a political thing, but now that the leader of Kyrgyzstan has spoken to the Russian political leadership about rent owed and lack of training the Russian AF will get the word and the rent will be paid and pilots will start training.

    That'd be Kant AB, right?

    GarryB wrote:Personally I would think it would be an ideal place to start testing UAVs for border security.

    Not a bad idea. Particularly if the border is porous enough to consider Taliban crossings that big of a problem.
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    Post  GarryB Tue Feb 28, 2012 5:08 am

    The Taliban is that stupid.

    I don't think it is a question of intelligence, but a question of reach and resources.

    The Taliban don't have ICBMs that will reach the US so if they wanted to hurt the US they can either send them an angry letter or look in the region for the nearest US base.

    They don't appear to me to be angry letter writers.

    Eventually we'll have enough logistic issues that we'll leave Afghanistan regardless, you'd think they'd recognize that if they waited they could simply run the entire show again. Although, performing cross-border quasi-military strikes may provide the impetus for using Afghanistan as a cruise missile disposal area again.

    If they have any brains they will just lay low and wait for foreigners to leave and then take the cities back one by one.

    Previously they didn't do that much in terms of cross border raids and activities, and internally they came down hard on drugs, so I really think when the US leaves and the Taliban take over the only people to suffer will be the Afghans themselves.

    Iran? Not sure if they're that stupid or not. How many nations are just waiting for an excuse to blow something up in Iran? There's two obvious ones, and some less obvious ones in the region that might not be averse to the Shi'a Persians getting smacked down a few pegs.

    From a Kyrgyz point of view a US or Israeli strike on Iran is probably the most likely outcome... based on the last few years the solution has been a military attack for the US... there is a pretty clear pattern to support that.

    If the US or Israel do attack then the US presence in Manas represents a legitimate target for Iran as one of many US bases in the region.

    That'd be Kant AB, right?

    Yup.

    Not a bad idea. Particularly if the border is porous enough to consider Taliban crossings that big of a problem.

    It would be good practise for them to work with their allies in protecting their border as lessons learned can be directly applied to the enormous Russian borders...

    In addition any drugs or illegal material stopped at that border will not make it to Russia.
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    Post  George1 Thu Jun 27, 2013 3:44 am

    Kyrgyz Leader Finalizes US Airbase Closure

    BISHKEK, June 26 (RIA Novosti) – The president of the Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday signed a bill ordering the closure of a US airbase that serves as the main transit hub for NATO forces in Afghanistan.

    According to the bill, US forces must abandon the base at Manas International Airport, near the capital Bishkek, by July 2014. The Kyrgyz parliament overwhelmingly approved the legislation last week.

    Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev already in 2011 announced plans to shut the base down by 2014, when the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force is to be pulled out of Afghanistan.

    Kyrgyzstan’s parliamentary opposition, however, claimed that the bill was premature because the government had failed to explain how it was going to compensate for the $60 million that the country receives annually from the United States to operate the base, set up in 2001.
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    Post  Cyberspec Mon Jul 01, 2013 2:40 am

    The Taliban are the most visible group in the area but you have similar groups in most neighbouring Central Asian states. It looks like the US is working on legitimising the Taliban after they leave Afghanistan and it's no secret that they see the Islamists as a convenient weapon to weaken and destabilise Russia and China (continuation of their policy from the 80/90's). I'm willing to bet that Central Asia and/or the Middle East is the place for the next Russian war.

    There was a report recently about the VVS taking out of storage old Soviet plans for the bombing of S. Arabia and other Gulf states.
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    Post  George1 Thu Jun 12, 2014 3:15 am

    Transit Center at Manas hosts transfer ceremony

    Col. John Millard, Director of the Transit Center at Manas, speaks at a transfer ceremony at the TCM in Kyrgyzstan, June 3, 2014. He praised the major accomplishments of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing and the center itself. He described 110 military-to-military exchanges and 180 social-cultural events just a brief of the programs that touched more than 7,000 local people. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Senior Airman Ross Alexander Whitley)

    TRANSIT CENTER AT MANAS, Kyrgyzstan -- Pamela L. Spratlen, U.S. ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic and Col. John C. Millard, 376th Air Expeditionary Wing commander, hosted a transfer ceremony at Transit Center at Manas, Kyrgyzstan, June 3, 2014.

    Spratlen, Col. Zamir Suerkulov, first deputy minister of the Kyrgyz Ministry of Defense and Millard gave remarks describing the significance of the transfer, noting the unique history of support and partnership between the United States and the Kyryz Republic. The ambassador highlighted the value of bilateral relationships and the role Kyrgyzstan played in helping Afghanistan.

    Noting her own memories of hearing about 9-11 from her position in Moscow, Russia, she said, "I would like to reiterate once more the gratitude of the American people for the support provided by the Kyrgyz people to the U.S. forces and coalition efforts in Afghanistan."

    Spratlen emphasized to the Kyrgyz and American audience that, even though the Transit Center is closing, "Our bilateral relationship and our friendship between our countries will, of course, continue."

    Finally, she acknowledged how important the close working relationship between the embassy and the Transit Center leaders has been over the years remarking that this collaboration kept "ideas about how to position the United States fully aligned."

    Former American ambassador to Kyrgyzstan from 2001, John O'Keefe, said in a letter written for the ceremony, "Kyrgyzstan stood out as among the first of many nations to understand the importance of bringing stability to Afghanistan and rooting out a hub for training and supporting terrorists."

    Suerkulov highlighted the strong cooperation between Transit Center military members and the Ministry of Defense of the Kyrgyz Republic in areas such as aviation, medical treatment, engineering, language training and sports. He thanked both embassy and Transit Center people for such good work in the final stages of closing the facility.

    Millard wrapped up the event by noting the impact of 12.5 years of operations at the Transit Center.

    He listed the major accomplishments from the four mission pillars beginning with air refueling and the 33,000 missions flown by KC-135 Stratotankers. The aircraft flew 1.8 billion pounds of fuel offloaded to 136,000 coalition aircraft. For onward movement, he noted that more than 5.3 million coalition personnel moved through the Transit Center which was about 98 percent of all International Security Assistance Force and coalition forces going into and out of Afghanistan.

    According to the Milliard, the airlift mission moved 1.4 billion pounds of cargo with more than 42,000 cargo missions. Finally, he said he took special pride in the humanitarian assistance mission.

    While military members gave aid to Kyrgyz people in need from the start in 2001, the Theater Security Cooperation organization, which formalized humanitarian assistance, only existed for the last four years. In that time, the TSC had 37 local projects worth more than $4.7 million which was invested in such places as schools, orphanages and hospitals.

    "We've perhaps gained the most out of the time we spent directly with the people of Kyrgyzstan, sharing cultures and creating lasting relationships," he remarked.

    Milliard went on to describe 110 military-to-military exchanges, 188 social-cultural events such as talking clubs and education opportunities. Overall, the programs touched more than 7,000 local people.

    After his comments, Millard presented a key to Col. Mirbek Imayev, deputy head of Kyrgyzstan's elite National Guard, as a symbol of transferring control of the Transit Center at Manas to the Kyrgyz Republic.

    Read more: http://www.dvidshub.net/news/131960/transit-center-manas-hosts-transfer-ceremony#.U5j9znZjF_Y#ixzz34Nnwfj5r
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    Post  George1 Thu Jul 31, 2014 1:30 am

    US Negotiating New Military Base in Uzbekistan

    MOSCOW, July 30 (RIA Novosti) -The United States is in negotiations to open a new military base in southern Uzbekistan that would bring $1 billion to the Uzbek budget annually, uzmetronom.com reported Wednesday.

    “According to experts familiar with the situation, the main goal of a high-ranking American visitor, with the ranking of general, is to attain Uzbekistan’s consent to deploy an American contingent and military equipment, including aviation, in the Uzbek city of Termez, which is just across the Amu Darya River from Afghanistan,” the online newspaper reported commenting on the visit of the commander of the US Central Command Army, General Lloyd Austin, to Uzbekistan.

    The US is ready to pay Uzbekistan $1 billion annually, according to uzmetronom.com.

    Uzbekistan hosted an American air base in Karshi Khanabad as a staging ground for combat, reconnaissance and humanitarian missions in Afghanistan in 2001. However, in 2005, Tashkent evicted US personnel from the air base after the US criticized the Uzbek government for its Andijan anti-terrorist operation.

    Since 2001, Germany has used the civilian airport in Termez as a “trampoline” into Afghanistan. The base houses several hundred servicemen who provide logistics for dispatching and receiving aircraft with cargo and troops.
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    Post  sepheronx Thu Jul 31, 2014 3:31 am

    Anything for them trying to get closer to Russian borders to surround them. But $1B a year? thats it? US is already debt ridden and who knows how long till the dollar is even worth its value. Uzbekistan is hurting for money though and they left the CSTO because of... Whom was it? Turkmenistan? Anyway, let them I say. Just means US spreads itself too thin.
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    Post  Vann7 Thu Jul 31, 2014 5:13 am

    sepheronx wrote:Anything for them trying to get closer to Russian borders to surround them.  But $1B a year? thats it?  US is already debt ridden and who knows how long till the dollar is even worth its value.  Uzbekistan is hurting for money though and they left the CSTO because of... Whom was it? Turkmenistan?  Anyway, let them I say.  Just means US spreads itself too thin.

    US is seeking to destabilize the entire region and create a JIhadist alqaeda heaven over there.. and later give them weapon to fight Russia..Just recently was reported the US troops "lost a shipment of 700,000 assault rifles/weapons over afganistan" can anyone believe such a crap? that could be an accident? Russia should go to mexico and by accident lose manpads and rockets grenades over US-Mexico border..so later can overthrown US gangs their own government. for the only reason US exist today in the world.. to fight Russia. No longer they have
    any other role in the world that the destruction of it ,to get it under his control.  Used to be different a little different in the past// When they cared a little more for their own people.  Neutral 
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    Post  par far Sat Jan 24, 2015 1:29 am

    Vann7 wrote:
    sepheronx wrote:Anything for them trying to get closer to Russian borders to surround them.  But $1B a year? thats it?  US is already debt ridden and who knows how long till the dollar is even worth its value.  Uzbekistan is hurting for money though and they left the CSTO because of... Whom was it? Turkmenistan?  Anyway, let them I say.  Just means US spreads itself too thin.

    US is seeking to destabilize the entire region and create a JIhadist alqaeda heaven over there.. and later give them weapon to fight Russia..Just recently was reported the US troops "lost a shipment of 700,000 assault rifles/weapons over afganistan" can anyone believe such a crap? that could be an accident? Russia should go to mexico and by accident lose manpads and rockets grenades over US-Mexico border..so later can overthrown US gangs their own government.  for the only reason US exist today in the world.. to fight Russia. No longer they have
    any other role in the world that the destruction of it ,to get it under his control.  Used to be different a little different in the past// When they cared a little more for their own people.  Neutral 



    This is exactly what the U.S. wants to do and are trying to do. They want to create terror groups on Russia's borders. Russia needs to respond and soon. Russia should treaten to take US and its cronies to court over war crimes committed in Iraq and afghantan. Russia needs to understand what is happening and soon.
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    Post  Werewolf Sat Jan 24, 2015 1:39 am

    par far wrote:
    Vann7 wrote:
    sepheronx wrote:Anything for them trying to get closer to Russian borders to surround them.  But $1B a year? thats it?  US is already debt ridden and who knows how long till the dollar is even worth its value.  Uzbekistan is hurting for money though and they left the CSTO because of... Whom was it? Turkmenistan?  Anyway, let them I say.  Just means US spreads itself too thin.

    US is seeking to destabilize the entire region and create a JIhadist alqaeda heaven over there.. and later give them weapon to fight Russia..Just recently was reported the US troops "lost a shipment of 700,000 assault rifles/weapons over afganistan" can anyone believe such a crap? that could be an accident? Russia should go to mexico and by accident lose manpads and rockets grenades over US-Mexico border..so later can overthrown US gangs their own government.  for the only reason US exist today in the world.. to fight Russia. No longer they have
    any other role in the world that the destruction of it ,to get it under his control.  Used to be different a little different in the past// When they cared a little more for their own people.  Neutral 



    This is exactly what the U.S. wants to do and are trying to do. They want to create terror groups on Russia's borders. Russia needs to respond and soon. Russia should treaten to take US and its cronies to court over war crimes committed in Iraq and afghantan. Russia needs to understand what is happening and soon.  

    That won't work, since the ICC is already a bribed court, they never have acted upon US, Israel or UK but they were very furious against Milosovic because they were unleashed like dogs they are from the US. The ICC is useless court that acts on politics dictated by one nation.
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    Post  par far Sat Jan 24, 2015 2:48 am

    Werewolf wrote:
    par far wrote:
    Vann7 wrote:
    sepheronx wrote:Anything for them trying to get closer to Russian borders to surround them.  But $1B a year? thats it?  US is already debt ridden and who knows how long till the dollar is even worth its value.  Uzbekistan is hurting for money though and they left the CSTO because of... Whom was it? Turkmenistan?  Anyway, let them I say.  Just means US spreads itself too thin.

    US is seeking to destabilize the entire region and create a JIhadist alqaeda heaven over there.. and later give them weapon to fight Russia..Just recently was reported the US troops "lost a shipment of 700,000 assault rifles/weapons over afganistan" can anyone believe such a crap? that could be an accident? Russia should go to mexico and by accident lose manpads and rockets grenades over US-Mexico border..so later can overthrown US gangs their own government.  for the only reason US exist today in the world.. to fight Russia. No longer they have
    any other role in the world that the destruction of it ,to get it under his control.  Used to be different a little different in the past// When they cared a little more for their own people.  Neutral 



    This is exactly what the U.S. wants to do and are trying to do. They want to create terror groups on Russia's borders. Russia needs to respond and soon. Russia should treaten to take US and its cronies to court over war crimes committed in Iraq and afghantan. Russia needs to understand what is happening and soon.  

    That won't work, since the ICC is already a bribed court, they never have acted upon US, Israel or UK but they were very furious against Milosovic because they were unleashed like dogs they are from the US. The ICC is useless court that acts on politics dictated by one nation.



    If that does not work then Russia must do something and do it fast. What do you suggest, that Russia does?
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    Post  Vann7 Sat Jan 24, 2015 6:43 am



    Russia should simply strengthen ties with Mexico and deploy Russian military bases there to train their armed forces and police against the criminals gangs that USA supply weapons.. the base should be withing 50 km of US borders..
    and deploy there hundred of tanks and hundreds of planes.. just exactly as US have done in Europe..

    That will scare the shit of arrogant Neocons.. knowing RUssia can directly invade their nation in case a war start and or help americans to overthrow their government with weapons.. Russia can say the "lost a shipment of 700,000 assault rifles.. kornets and manpas and that ended inside US cities.. I tell you.. USA easiest way to defeat them is from the inside.. they do not have the civilian support and unity of Russia.. with blacks alone and other minotiries they can create an army of a million that will happily overthrow their government. and Russia will supply them the weapons and logistics..



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    Post  Werewolf Sat Jan 24, 2015 1:13 pm

    If that does not work then Russia must do something and do it fast. What do you suggest, that Russia does?

    What i say since few months already a 2nd Cuba Crisis, the US pulls up nukes in Germany, Netherlands, Turkey not to mention the nukes that are already at russias doorstep of NATO France and UK, they pull up ABM shields and attack Russia and russians all over the place, it is obvious they want war. They need to be thought that the US is not unreachable and that Russia won't play their little European indotrincated vassal idiots agaisnt Russia, that Russia will ignore it and attack the US directly if their dare to unleash their little european idiot pawns.

    Deploy Nuclear weapons in Central and North of South America, push for political means to drag Latin America on Russias side give the yanks the same Taste that they are surrounded and that the Nukes would reach them in less than 10 Minutes and russia has to demand that all NATO members are set back to the state of 1970 and all US nukes have to go from European soil otherwise Russia will push further for same means and tactics as the US does since its existence and surround further US with Basis and Anti-americans which Latin Americans already are based on the violent History this supremacy idiots have caused.

    Those neo-con and anglo suckson/zionazi policy pushing retards are already shitting themselfs from Russia in every single possible way. Russia regained the controll if its own countries and resources, they through out americ*nts and brits from their russian oil companies and today Russia makes money with its own oil, they are developing and modernising the country and that is clearly against every zionazi and neo-con politicians view that Russian resources belong to them and they are afraid of all the potential russia bears to dominate the entire world since it holds over 51% of the world resources with a political stability and strength a growing military and the society is brought back on track so the brain drain is mostly one sided on the US side today.
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    Political, security and economic developments in Central Asia Empty Rumour has it that the U.S. State Dept. may start a Maidan style coup in Kyrgyzstan:

    Post  magnumcromagnon Fri Feb 27, 2015 10:03 pm

    Rumour has it that the U.S. State Dept. may start a Maidan style coup in Kyrgyzstan:

    Demonstrators gather in Kyrgyz capital to protest against new US charge d’affaires
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    Post  George1 Mon Mar 30, 2015 3:34 pm

    Karimov wins Uzbek presidential election with 90,39% of votes

    TASHKENT, March 30. /TASS/. Uzbekistan’s incumbent President Islam Karimov has won the country’s presidential election, scoring 90.39% of the vote, head of the Uzbek Central Election Commission (CEC) Mirza-Ulugbek Abdusalomov told a briefing on Monday.

    "As many as 17.2 million people or 90.39% of those who came to the polls cast their ballots for Karimov," he said. In accordance with Article 35 of the Law "On Presidential Election in the Republic of Uzbekistan," this makes him elected for another term of office.

    Islam Karimov was nominated to run for another presidential term at a congress of the Movement of Entrepreneurs and Businessmen - the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan.
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    Political, security and economic developments in Central Asia Empty Karimov wins Uzbek presidential election with 90,39% of votes

    Post  flamming_python Mon Mar 30, 2015 4:00 pm

    George1 wrote:Karimov wins Uzbek presidential election with 90,39% of votes

    TASHKENT, March 30. /TASS/. Uzbekistan’s incumbent President Islam Karimov has won the country’s presidential election, scoring 90.39% of the vote, head of the Uzbek Central Election Commission (CEC) Mirza-Ulugbek Abdusalomov told a briefing on Monday.

    "As many as 17.2 million people or 90.39% of those who came to the polls cast their ballots for Karimov," he said. In accordance with Article 35 of the Law "On Presidential Election in the Republic of Uzbekistan," this makes him elected for another term of office.

    Islam Karimov was nominated to run for another presidential term at a congress of the Movement of Entrepreneurs and Businessmen - the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan.

    Not hard when you're willing to boil your political opponents alive.

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