"US reaps bitter harvest from 'Tulip' revolution."

April 13, 2010 4:07 PM

It will look cynical indeed if Washington once again tries to paint itself as a champion of democratic values in the Central Asian region. 'Evidently, there has been a massive breakdown in US diplomacy in Central Asia. Things were going rather well lately until this setback. For the first time it seemed Washington had succeeded in the Great Game by getting a grip on the Kyrgyz regime, though the achievement involved a cold-blooded jettisoning of all norms of democracy, human rights and rule of law that the US commonly champions. By all accounts, Washington just bought up the Bakiyev family lock stock and barrel, overlooking its controversial record of misuse of office.'

Richard Holbrooke ominously spoke of an al-Qaeda threat to Central Asia, suggesting that NATO had a role to play in the region in its capacity as the only viable security organization that could take on such a high-risk enterprise of chasing Osama bin Laden in the steppes and the killer deserts of Kizil Kum and Kara Kum.

Holbrooke's tour - followed immediately after by the intensive two-day consultations in Bishkek by the US Central Command chief, David Petraeus - didn't, conceivably, go unnoticed in the concerned regional capitals. But as of now, the US's entire future strategy in Central Asia is up in the air.

posted by VikingSword (9 comments total)

That sound you hear is all of Latin America standing up and shouting

"WE FUCKING TOLD YOU SO!"
posted by nestor_makhno at 4:18 PM on April 13, 2010 [3 favorites]

When oil companies sit down with VP's to discuss policy this is what you reap.

Oil is over but no one has told us yet. What next?
posted by Max Power at 5:16 PM on April 13, 2010

It will look cynical indeed if Washington once again tries to paint itself as a champion of democratic values in the Central Asian region.

As if it's not cynical enough that Washington paints itself as a champion of democratic values in the US...
posted by ZenMasterThis at 8:47 PM on April 13, 2010 [3 favorites]

Once again, as I did with regard to Afghanistan, and then Iraq, I would like to quote The Princess Bride:

You fool! You fell victim to one of the classic blunders - The most famous of which is "never get involved in a land war in Asia"

It's funny because it's true.
posted by evidenceofabsence at 9:18 PM on April 13, 2010 [2 favorites]

Also:

"Holbrooke ominously spoke of an al-Qaeda threat to Central Asia, suggesting that NATO had a role to play in the region."
That's funny. I had no idea that Central Asia was anywhere near the North Atlantic!

I'm sure Russia will be thrilled to know that NATO wants a more hands-on role in stabilizing former SSRs that've had color revolutions! This can only go well.
posted by evidenceofabsence at 9:27 PM on April 13, 2010 [1 favorite]

Kyrgyzstan's ousted President Kurmanbek Bakiyev has said he will be willing to step down in return for security guarantees for him and his family.
posted by homunculus at 9:52 PM on April 13, 2010

There are more links in the other Kyrgyzstan thread too, btw.
posted by homunculus at 9:57 PM on April 13, 2010

Does it make sense to have democratic values in tribal areas?
posted by five fresh fish at 11:27 PM on April 13, 2010

Bringing democracy to tribal areas has been very successful as an excuse to install puppet governments which will defend Western interests!
posted by mek at 11:47 AM on April 14, 2010