Free Republic

Afghanistan’s National Resistance Front, an opposition group, is claiming this evening to be on the verge of victories over the Taliban in several districts in the country’s Northeastern provinces. The NRF, which describes itself as “the last force fighting for the restoration of democracy in Afghanistan,” expressed hopes that these victories were the first steps in an effort to liberate the country from Taliban rule. It noted, though, that it was working without foreign aid that could bolster its efforts. Security analysts, meanwhile, expressed skepticism over whether the NRF could topple the new regime in Kabul, though noting the Taliban...

It was just about week ago that we highlighted a mysterious trend that was sweeping the U.S.: citizens were receiving unsolicited packages of seeds, with return addresses from China, for apparently no reason at all. Now, the U.S. has started to identify "14 types of plants" that the seeds belonged to, revealing a “mix of ornamental, fruit and vegetable, herb and weed species,” according to the NY Times. Cabbage, hibiscus, lavender, mint, morning glory, mustard, rose, rosemary and sage have all been identified. Osama El-Lissy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said: “This...

Orthodox Christianity and Islam are based on the same fundamental values, President Vladimir Putin said in an address to a religious conference in Kyrgyzstan. The conference, titled "Orthodoxy and Islam — Religions of Peace," aimed to promote interethnic and interreligious dialogue between Russia and Kyrgyzstan. "Islam and Orthodox Christianity, just like other world religions, are based on fundamental humanistic values that are of enduring importance — on mercy and love for one’s near, justice and respect for human beings," the state-run TASS news agency quoted Putin as saying Thursday. The address, which was read out to the conference by Russian...

As I walked into the department this bright brisk morning, coffee cheerily in hand, the live global seismogram display in the atrium caught my eye with an alarming event that had just happened during my bike ride into work. *gasp* that looks bad *gasp* that looks bad BIG earthquake, somewhere in the vicinity of Central/Southern Asia. Indeed, an earthquake deep (>200 km) beneath the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan had shaken a huge swath of Central and South Asia. The great depth of the earthquake meant less extreme shaking at the epicenter (nobody lives closer than 212 km from the...

The state of affairs in Kyrgyzstan remains volatile. President Kurmanbek Bakiyev who fled Bishkek and interim government with its leader Roza Otunbayeva cannot find common ground. Dmitry Medvedev who is currently in Washington addressed the alarming situation.

OSH, Kyrgyzstan -- Gunfire broke out Thursday at a rally where the deposed president of Kyrgyzstan was speaking to supporters. Kurmanbek Bakiyev was hustled into a car and driven from the scene, and there were no apparent injuries in the crowd.

China, Russia welcome Iran into the fold M K Bhadrakumar April 18, 2006 The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which maintained it had no plans for expansion, is now changing course. Mongolia, Iran, India and Pakistan, which previously had observer status, will become full members. SCO's decision to welcome Iran into its fold constitutes a political statement. Conceivably, SCO would now proceed to adopt a common position on the Iran nuclear issue at its summit meeting June 15. Speaking in Beijing as recently as January 16, the organization's secretary general Zhang Deguang had been quoted by Xinhua news agency as saying:...

Romania and the United States have signed an agreement that would establish the first U.S. military bases in an Eastern European country from the former Soviet bloc. The United States already has the rights to a base in the former Soviet republic of Kyrgyzstan, and is in the process of vacating one in neighboring Uzbekistan. With the United States already possessing a military presence in much of the world, what does it want with even more foreign bases? Washington, 7 December 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Romanian President Traian Basescu seemed as pleased to be hosting the bases as the Americans are...

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice recently visited Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. On her way back to Washington she also visited France and Russia and England. (no photos seem have been released of the trip to England) Travel to Central Asia, South Asia, and Europe October 11, 2005 to October 15, 2005 Secretary Rice traveled to Central Asia, South Asia, and Europe October 10-15, 2005. Her travel to Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan aimed to advance bilateral and regional cooperation on security issues, to promote freedom through democratic and market-oriented reform, and to strengthen security in the region, including cooperation...

At a NATO defense ministers meeting in Berlin on Tuesday, Russia’s defense minister Sergei Ivanov warned that Moscow would review its relations with Ukraine and Georgia if these countries joined NATO. He said the consequences would go beyond defense and security, Radio Liberty reported. At the same time Ivanov said it was the sovereign right of any country, including Ukraine and Georgia, to join NATO. Before flying to Berlin Ivanov said he urge the alliance to cooperate more closely with the Collective Security Treaty Organization whose current members include Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. His statement is interpreted...

United Nations -- President Bush told the 60th U.N. General Assembly September 14 that this is a moment of great opportunity in the cause of freedom. "Across the world, hearts and minds are opening to the message of human liberty as never before," Bush said. "In the last two years alone, tens of millions have voted in free elections in Afghanistan and Iraq, in Lebanon and the Palestinian territories, in Kyrgyzstan, in Ukraine, and Georgia." Bush said that through the establishment of the new U.N. Democracy Fund, the democratic members of the world body can work to help others who...

In 2001, Bush said that the entire world must make a choice: “Either you are with us, or you are with the terrorists.” And while it was assumed that he was talking mostly to Middle East countries, it is now clear that the decision to spread freedom as a defense against terrorism was to be a global effort. Many states chose wisely -- Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Libya, Jordan, Eqypt and others. Those countries have been protected and supported by American efforts. Other nations chose poorly -- Ukraine, Georgia, Iraq, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, and of course Iran and Syria....

Kyrgyzstan’s president Askar Akaev declared upon independence from the Soviet Union in 1991 that he would transform his landlocked, mountainous country into a wealthy and democratic ‘Switzerland of Central Asia’. However, lacking few resources of note apart from the world’s largest free-growth walnut forest, the five million people of this beautiful yet desperate country have not had an easy ride in their first decade. Kyrgyzstan made a promising start to its independent life. During the 1991 coup attempt against Mikhail Gorbachev, Akaev firmly backed Boris Yeltsin against the Moscow hard-liners. This principled gamble paid off, establishing the authority of...