The United States' new relationship with the former Soviet republic of
Uzbekistan once again raises questions about what sort of alliances the
Bush administration will build to fight the war against terrorism.
Uzbekistan has granted the U.S. access to its airfields for what it
insists are "humanitarian" and "search and rescue" missions, but
adamantly denies (in the face of evidence to the contrary) that U.S.
troops, including Special Operations Forces, are on the ground.
In a special article on The Nation magazine's website, author Dilip
Hiro relates a Uzbeki military officer's most up-to-date definitions for
"humanitarian and "search and rescue."
"If it means you have to take out half a dozen Taliban positions to
'rescue' your colleagues, then that is what you have got to do.... It
could be considered 'humanitarian' to remove Taliban forces from a
valley filled with civilians in need of food and medical supplies."
A recent New York Times article revealed that U.S. Green Beret troops
were stationed in Uzbekistan and were training the Uzbeki military in
marksmanship, infantry patrolling, map reading and other skills. In
addition, the article made public the United States provision of
"nonlethal" equipment like helmets, flak jackets, Humvee transport
vehicles, and night-vision goggles to the Uzbeki military and border
guards.
In the decade since its independence from the Soviet Union, U.S.
weapons sales to Uzbekistan have gone from zero to more than $4 million
in the last three years. Funding for the International Military
Education and Training (IMET) program has also risen in the last few
years, from $526,000 in 1999 to $550,000 for 2000. Now that Uzbekistan
is our close ally in the war on terrorism, that figure is likely to
increase substantially.
Although the New York Times made clear that U.S. Special Forces have
been operating in Uzbekistan since 1996, the Uzbeki President denied it
as recently as two weeks ago. In a news conference with Defense
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, Karimov was asked the following question:
"Mr. President, how many American forces will be in your country? Which
airfield have you offered? Did you agree that American Special Forces
would be allowed to operate from Uzbekistan?"
He replied by saying, "Special Operations Forces will not be deployed
in the territory of Uzbekistan."
Karimov's disavowal of the depth of his relationship with the United
States points to the nation's iron fisted control of information,
something that makes the country an attractive launching pad for U.S.
operations. One Air Force official, quoted in the Washington Post,
happily noted that "CNN can't film" U.S. aircraft taking off from Uzbeki
airfields. Karimov's spokesman described Uzbekistan, which shares an
85-mile border with Afghanistan, as a "closed country."
According to the State Department's 2000 Human Rights report,
"Uzbekistan is an authoritarian state with limited civil rights. [In
2000] the Government's poor human rights record worsened, and the
Government continued to commit numerous serious abuses... Citizens
cannot exercise their right to change their government peacefully...
There were credible reports that security force mistreatment resulted in
the deaths of several citizens in custody. Police and NSS forces
tortured, beat, and harassed persons. The security forces arbitrarily
arrested or detained pious Muslims and other citizens on false charges,
frequently planting narcotics, weapons, or forbidden literature on
them."
But the Bush administration is now turning a blind eye to the ugly
underbelly of its new best friend. One unnamed U.S. government official
compared the new Uzbeki-U.S. relationship to " modern dating...Sometimes
you get married, sometimes you get a temporary restraining order." In
the case of the relationship between Uzbekistan and the United States,
"it seems like we're engaged and things are going well."
But, this "marriage" between Uzbekistan and the United States is one
more instance of U.S. dependence on allies in the fight for "enduring
freedom" that are not free or even democratic.
Frida Berrigan is a
Research Associate at the
World Policy Institute
.
Resources:
Robert Fisk's article "Our Friends are Killer, Crooks and Terrorists,"
www.commondreams.org/views01/1007-06.htm
Human Rights Watch, Uzbekistan page:
www.hrw.org/europe/uzbekistan.php
State Department, Human Rights Report, Uzbekistan:
www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2000/eur/index.cfm?docid=858
"Bush's Uzbek Bargain," Dilip Hiro,
www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=special&s=hiro20011017
For more on U.S. weapons sales to regions of conflict visit the Arms
Trade Resource Center site at
www.worldpolicy.org/projects/arms
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