I just bumped into an interesting article re Turkmenistan:
"Nevada Guard helps curb drug trafficking in Turkmenistan"
http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20061226/NEWS/112260059
Seems the Niyazov regime was happy to have US National Guard personnel working on projects to secure its borders, to inhibit the flow of opium (Islamoterrorists' favorite cash crop) and other undesirable traffic between its neighbors Afghanistan and Iran. Per the article: "Poppy production isn't currently a problem in Turkmenistan, and the government intends to keep the status quo." The more I read about this odd little country and the policies of its self-aggrandizing late dictator, the more I appreciate how much worse things could have been there under some other plausible leadership.
"the more I appreciate how much worse things could have been..."
An interesting assessment, which lacking more horrific information, I am inclined to believe. Meanwhile, after much holiday interruption, I intend to get the http on my other recent posts, and the one I referred to by someone else and post here for people's edification.