Posted on 07/05/2005 3:49:40 PM PDT by neverdem
ASTANA, Kazakhstan (AP) -- A regional alliance led by China and Russia called Tuesday for the U.S. and its coalition allies in Afghanistan to set a date for withdrawing from several states in Central Asia, reflecting growing unease at America's military presence in the region.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which groups Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, urged a deadline be set for withdrawal of the foreign forces from its member states in light of what it said was a decline in active fighting in Afghanistan.
The alliance's move appeared to be an attempt to push the United States out of a region that Moscow regards as historically part of its sphere of influence and in which China seeks a dominant role because of its extensive energy resources.
U.S-led military forces have been deployed at air bases in Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks to back up the anti-terrorist campaign in neighboring Afghanistan.
According to the U.S military, Uzbekistan hosts at least 800 U.S. troops, while 1,200 U.S.-led troops are in Kyrgyzstan.
Tajikistan has allowed the French air force to use Dushanbe airport since 2001 as a base for logistical support to its troops in Afghanistan. Some 200 French air force personnel are based there.
''We support and will support the international coalition, which is carrying out an anti-terror campaign in Afghanistan, and we have taken note of the progress made in the effort to stabilize the situation,'' the SCO said in a declaration at a summit in the Kazakh capital.
''As the active military phase in the anti-terror operation in Afghanistan is nearing completion, the SCO would like the coalition's members to decide on the deadline for the use of the temporary infrastructure and for their military contingents' presence in those countries,'' it said.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
HAHAHHAHAAHA...yeah right. Tomorrow's headline.
"U.S. calls for Chinese/Russian pull out from areas within its major cities, and for a total Chinese pull out of Latin America (especially the panama canal)"
What a bunch of losers.
Two words. Pound sand.
Oh, I would've just asked Dick Cheney to deal with that issue just as he did with Leahy. :-D
With russia's moves in the direction towards COMMUNISM
and China already being a COMMUNIST STATE
it is shaping up to look like the cold war is going to revive itself.
............. if it ever ended?
Cold war II?
Wake up America!!!!
The ink is not dry on the agreement China and Russia signed, and already they are telling us what we can do.
The first salvo has been fired and the bomb is ticking, never forget that our worst enemies are hiding in our top positions of government and in the nooks and crannies of America, they may even call themselves Americans, but they are not going to help us win this war.
I call them communists, you may have other names for them, but if you thought Russia/Putin was a friend, you better think again......
China and Russia have some mojo in issuing such a call to America. We are still the world's superpower.
This is disturbing to say the least.
They are either with us or against us.
I'm not sure we will have the capabilities to remain the world's superpower for long.
I believe both China and Russia have assisted AQ and are aware of AQ's upcoming plans to attempt to "hit" the US destructively. That could be why both are calmly arrogant.
We've basically spilled the beans ourselves that we can't handle more than one major war at a time. So we have China threatening Taiwan (would we, or would we not,come to their aid?). We have NK blathering about launching test nukes and making more. China/Japan issues are arising although there is a sense of a possibly underlying alliance between them depending upon how things go with the US.
Russia is openly supporting Iran and Syria. Now stating we are wanted OUT of various other countries they consider their sphere.
Personally, I'm not too pleased to see us working with the Uzbeks. I have read that their leader is a sadistic torturere who make Saddam look like a pussycat.
I believe after the chips fall we will no longer be the world's superpower. Probably China will assume that role.
Excellent comment. :-)
Hey jerseygirl. You put much of what I was thinking into writing. You said it very well, too. I was afraid to jinx the U.S. (not that I think you did)!
I believe the world is definitely marching towards certain scenarios and we have been put on startling notice that Russia and China do not want us to remain the sole superpower on the block any longer. The day may soon come when we are not even considered a superpower.
That is what I was thinking too, this is flexing some muscle after the China and Russia agreement from their summit only a few days ago.
My feeling is there isn't that much we can do to stop their growing friendship. As it would seem to be in their interest to counter-balance American power. We probably wouldn't be overly thrilled if Chinese troops were stationed in Mexico and not planning on leaving:).
Luckily if they do start acting together and keep growing stronger, we will become better friends with other nations like India.
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