Kyrgyz Unrest Makes Partners Of U.S., Russia

Investors.com ^ | June 17, 2010 | DAVID IGNATIUS

[Kaslin]

Watching the deteriorating security situation in Kyrgyzstan, we have a Cold War reflex to forecast a new flash point between the U.S. and Russia.

In reality, it's the opposite — this remote and feeble Central Asian country is offering a new opportunity for Moscow and Washington to work as partners.

"We are not in any way framing this as a zero-sum game," a senior administration official explained Tuesday. "On the contrary, we are very closely coordinating our actions with Moscow."

The death toll this week rose into the hundreds, but violence appeared to decline on Tuesday and the Kyrgyz defense minister said the government would withdraw its request for an international peacekeeping force.

But U.S. officials said that it was hard to predict how soon stability would return. The Kyrgyz government had initially sought Russian intervention, but Moscow had signaled that it wouldn't send troops alone.

Here's the surprise: U.S. officials argue that if the violence continues, the right intervention force would be one that included Russia and other regional partners.

It might be drawn from the Collective Security Treaty Organization, an alliance of former Soviet republics.

Or it could be a "coalition of the willing" that included troops from Turkey, say, as well as those from Russia, Kazakhstan and other neighboring states.

[piytar]

From what I understand, Russia instigated this mess as a ploy to get the US airbase closed. As with most marxist moves, there have been unintended consequences. Worse ones than they anticipated. Now they need our help to try to contain it.

Typical.

[lentulusgracchus]

Hey, Ignatius -- better stay in the shallow end of the pool. You're obviously not ready to play with the big kids.

Piytar is right. This is big-power gamesmanship, and Ignatius shows no sign of awareness who the players are and what they're doing. He should have stayed in bed.