Monday, May 24, 2004
Strategic Necessity makes Strange Bedfellows
Another example of U.S. hypocrisy, this time in Uzbekistan:
We're essentially giving the extremists recruiting talking points, by appearing to support the Karimov regime. How can we expect to win the "War on Terror", when we support a government that terrorizes its own citizens?
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"At the same time, many observers believe the governmentÂs refusal to implement reforms has the country on the brink of an economic collapse. Until now Karimov has stonewalled US pressure for reforms, believing that Washington needs the Uzbek air base as much as he needs American assistance. He seems to be counting on the fact that strategic necessity trumps human rights practices in the eyes of US policy makers. Whether or not his calculation is correct; the fact is that he has still not felt sufficiently motivated to make any substantive effort to reform.
The chief danger for the United States is that of being seen as Karimov's accomplice. US officials may not like what's going on in Tashkent, but strategic considerations -- specifically the fact that there is an American base in southern Uzbekistan - has prompted the Bush administration to keep any criticism of Karimov mainly under wraps. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].
With Karimov seeming to defy US pressure for reform, it appears as if Washington supports his policies. Given the growing dislike for Karimov's administration, the United States may easily come to be seen as an anti-popular force in Uzbekistan. But even beyond the danger of being seen as excessively attached to Karimov, the violence in March revealed what is the most serious danger -- namely the threat of Uzbekistan becoming a failing state. Such a development could create a void quickly filled by Islamic militants.
We're essentially giving the extremists recruiting talking points, by appearing to support the Karimov regime. How can we expect to win the "War on Terror", when we support a government that terrorizes its own citizens?
