APRIL 9 WHY KYRGYZSTAN IS THE BEST 'STAN' OF THEM ALL
What? You've never heard of Kyrgyzstan? It's the Best 'Stan' of them all! Pronounced KEER - GHAZ - STAN, it's a favorite of trivia buffs. It's one of the few nations in the world that is DOUBLE LAND-LOCKED, meaning not only is it land-locked, but all the nations that border it are also land-locked. That means it's about as far from an ocean as you can get!
But what makes Kyrgyzstan the best 'stan' of them all? (STAN is a Sanskrit word meaning 'land'). Well, it's the only 'stan' that actually allowed us to have an airforce base on their territory. Granted, we do pay the Kyrgyz Government $60 million annually to rent the enormous area...but to have a 'stan' as a friend is truly unique. The other 'stans' just aren't as nice. Earlier this week, US consulate was assaulted by a militia in PakiSTAN, killing scores. Last month, there was an anti-US rally in TajikiSTAN. And don't even get me started about BaluchiSTAN!
So why is this air base so important? If you look on a map, you'll notice the proximity of KyrgyzSTAN to AfghaniSTAN. Hence, an average of thirty sorties are flown daily between the two nations. (Think of Manas Air Force Base as the O'Hara 'hub' of wartime Central Asia.) So that's why the US and Kyrgyzstan have become such great friends: We have so much to offer each other!
But just when friendships bloom, sometimes they sour. And with friendly nations, the number one reason why allies part is the dreaded REGIME CHANGE. Last week, the capital of Bishkek was ravaged by riots, killing 75 people. All buildings of value were looted. President Bakiyev was forced to flee to the south. A rebel militia has claimed power, whose leader has claimed he will terminate the lease with the USA when it expires this June. What a bummer!
So the fate of the Manas (Cleverly named after the George Washington of Kyrgyzistan) Air Force lies in the hands of a rebel militia leader. The real question is: Will $60 million be enough to keep our new friend happy? Stay tuned!
I am so much enjoying the new Duner blog. I can't imagine a better mix of geopolitics, popular culture, and tongue-in-cheek humor. PS: We're gonna need a lot more than $60M to keep that base. Maybe even another counter-coup...
ReplyDeleteThanks BC! I'll try my best to keep it up. Seems like the Russians have been blamed for this coup as well as crashing a Polish plane filled with dignitaries. Not bad for a week's work!
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