He's A Fiend, But He's "Our" Fiend

Islam Karimov is the President of Uzbekistan, and he is "supported" by the United States. The Bush administration considers him a strong ally in the "war of terrorism" (The US and its 'special' dictator). In fact, the US gave him $200 million in 2002. The Pentagon has a seven year lease on a base in Uzbekistan (at Khanabad). Of course, the major purpose of the "relationship" is:

Khanabad is crucial as one of the key bases surrounding Bush's Greater Middle East, or to put it in the relevant perspective, the Middle East/Caucasus/Central Asia heavenly arc of oil and gas.

Hundreds are dead in Uzbekistan in the recent demonstrations triggered by the allegation that a Qu'ran was desecrated by U.S. interrogators at Guantanamo. That is the ostensible reason for the protests, but it seems likely that high unemployment, and crackdown on "Islamist" groups is playing a role in the conflict. Karimov has been brutal in his efforts at "cracking down." He is a dictator, and clearly a vicious dictator. Vicious enough for Tom Regan at the Christian Science Monitor to write Uzbek ruler: a new Saddam Hussein?

One of the rebel leaders in his country says that he makes Saddam Hussein look like "a choir boy." And Sunday, British Foreign Minister Jack Straw said there had been a "clear abuse of human rights" in rioting in his country where the CBC reports police and troops have been accused by aid groups of killing as many as 700 people, including women and children.

One has to ask whether this "relationship" with Karimov is part of the larger "democratization" of Islamic countries. Supposedly the US "liberated" the people of Iraq. When will we need to "liberate" the people of Uzbekistan? When Karimov gets too big for his britches (or no longer serves his purpose?

We also "liberated" Afghanistan, and put Hamid Karzai in power. Oh sorry. That was a "democratic election" too - everyone else just dropped out of the running. But now Karzai is in a tight spot between the Afghans' anger at US presence and activites, and needing the US to keep him government in power. So tring to speak tough and cross his fingers, Karzai warns heavy-handed US troops as riots spread.

When looters ran free after the US ocupation of Iraq, Rumsfeld said that freedom was "messy." Messy indeed. Is shooting protesters in the streets, and locking up "trouble makers" in prison, the "democratic" response to "messy freedom?"

5/17/05 Escobar, Asia Times, The US and its 'special' dictator

5/16/05 Davis, BBC, Uzbek crisis poses dilemma for US

5/13/05 Norton, BBC, What lies behind Uzbek protests?

5/16/05 Regan, CSM, Uzbek ruler: a new Saddam Hussein?

Posted by rowan at May 18, 2005 6:16 AM | TrackBack | [eMail this article!] |