Kyrgyzstan agrees to allow US troops to stay in country

Telegraph.co.uk ^ | 5:54PM BST 23 Jun 2009 | Adrian Blomfield in Moscow

[justa-hairyape]

Kyrgyzstan has reversed a Russian order to evict the US military from an airbase close to Afghanistan in a significant foreign policy victory for Barack Obama.

After winning major financial concessions from Washington, the Kyrgyz government said it had agreed to allow the US Air Force to retain control of the Manas Airbase for at least one more year.

The move, which comes a fortnight before Mr Obama visits Moscow, was welcomed by the United States, which has emphasised the base's importance in the campaign to defeat the Taliban.

[justa-hairyape]

So what did the Zero give the Russians in return ?
Silence on the Iranian demonstrations ?

[hinckley buzzard]

After winning major financial concessions from Washington,

Desperate for some good news, Obama buys off the Kyrgyz for one year's rights. A real "foreign policy victory," right.

[justa-hairyape]

Russia had offered them 2 Billion in aid.

[Uncle Miltie]

"The eviction order came shortly after Russia offered Kyrgyzstan, one of the poorest and most corrupt former Soviet states, £1.3 billion in loans and aid."

Where else have we heard the sum 1.3 billion?

That's right; the Japanese nationals caught crossing the Italian / Swiss border with $1.3B USD in bearer bonds.

Can you say "bagmen for Kyrgyzstan?" I knew you could.

[justa-hairyape]

They had 134.5 billion in bearer bonds I believe.

[editor-surveyor]

No, that was 134 billion in bonds.

[justa-hairyape]

Russia must have got something. Here is an excerpt from an article from 2002.

In Kazakhstan yesterday, the speaker of the Russian parliament, Gennady Seleznev, effectively claimed the power of veto for Moscow on US deployments in central Asia.

Excerpted from Russia edgy at spread of US bases in its backyard

[Blackyce]

The Russians offered them a 2 billion dollar loan. We’re paying them 60 million in rent. Plus millions elsewhere.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgrpsQ5Aqu0

Cowboys in Kyrgyzstan video.

I gather that the Kyrgyz are unusual among the Central Asian peoples, as they really appreciate the US western motif. That is, everything cowboy makes sense to them, they like it.

[theanchoragedailyruse]

Obama gave the Russian’s his soul...

http://thomasalamb.blogspot.com/2009/06/did-obama-sell-his-soul-to-russia-us.html

“...Russia’s Putin likes to play bad cop with Obama when it comes to the economy. Obama wants to play the good cop with nukes and foreign affairs with Russia.

Obama and Putin are from the same cloth and the talk may be slightly off key from each other but they walk the same.”

[justa-hairyape]

Interesting video. Nice people. So is this the trade ?

Excerpted from CIA world factbook.

Kyrgyzstan Population 5,431,747

Georgia Population 4,615,807

[justa-hairyape]

Thanks for the link. Look like its going to be one long hot summer. Better get some more popcorn.