Joshua Kucera

Uzbekistan: Locals in Karshi Remember the American Base Fondly

The newest installment in my EurasiaNet series is out, on the situation in Karshi, Uzbekistan, two years after the US was evicted from the US air base there.

Uzbekistan: The Wounds of Andijan Remain Fresh

The latest episode in my EurasiaNet series is out, read it here.

The Chinese Are Coming!

There's an interesting map speculating about China's future sphere of influence at this cool map blog. It unfortunately lacks citation and any explanation or context. Why is Uzbekistan in China's orbit but not Turkmenistan? Anyway, food for thought, and something I'll get into further along on the trip.

Pan-Turkic Hotness: The Best of YouTube, Uzbekistan

OK, this YouTube project has gotten a little delayed, as I've been busy. For example, I wrote this story last week on the Armenian genocide resolution in Congress, which prompted some quality hate mail:

...you are flat out wrong and wrote a silly dime-a-dozen article whose purpose is anything but objective.

I have taken up matters with the Bush administation, and you can continue to kiss various of Turkey's intimate parts.

OK then, thanks for reading! On to the videos. I wish I knew this guy's story, he's pretty spectacular. He is apparently a bit of a YouTube phenomenon, and there are "remixes" of this with techno music and so on. But this is the original.

Next is the first example of a genre that is common in Central Asia, the "These Are the Hot Girls of Our Country" video. It's actually the girls of Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan all together -- a little pan-Turkic hotness.

This video has impressive special effects -- flying cars, floating cities, and so on. Where did she get that kind of money? Well, she's the daughter of the president, so that could have something to do with it. To quote from Wikipedia: "Karimova is generally unpopular within Uzbekistan, and is believed to have amassed her large business empire through corrupt means. One of the more serious charges is that she employs her nightclubs within Tashkent as centers of prostitution and assists in the trafficking of Uzbek women to Dubai for the same purpose." The song is pretty cheesy, but she does seem to have a nice voice.

More news from the Uzbek dissident front

Been wondering about the prospects for democracy in Uzbekistan? I know, I'm reading your mind. Check out my story in EurasiaNet.org today: Uzbek Opposition Calls for US Pressure on Karimov.

EURASIANET.ORG: LONG-DISTANCE REVOLUTIONARY: UZBEK EXILE STRIVES TO FOMENT PROTEST MOVEMENT IN TASHKENT

Originally published June 7, 2006

The odds against Bokhodir Choriyev realizing his regime-change dreams in Uzbekistan are daunting. His movement numbers a few hundred people scattered across the globe. Much of his time he’d like to spend organizing is consumed by a full-time job as a construction worker. And he lives 7,000 miles away from Uzbekistan, in St. Louis, Missouri.

But Choriyev shows no sign of abandoning his quest. To him, the key to success is gaining access to mass media outlets, especially Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), which can spread his message of resistance to the Uzbek population. So far, RFERL has kept him at arm’s length. Aiming to get the broadcaster to give him air time, he’s bending the ear of every member of Congress he can find, threatening lawsuits, and going on hunger strikes.

EURASIANET.ORG: SKEPTICISM GREETS UZBEK GOVERNMENT VIDEO ON ANDIJAN EVENTS

Originally published May 18, 2006

The Uzbek government is distributing a video of the Andijan events of 2005 that purports to show how Islamic militants attempted to spark a mass uprising against the government. The video appears designed to counter numerous eyewitness accounts compiled by western news agencies and human rights organizations. However, it sheds no light on the extent of Islamist militant involvement in the massive Andijan protest of May 13, 2005, and how many protesters were motivated by radical Islamic beliefs.

The video, distributed by the Uzbek embassy, was screened May 16 at an event in Washington, DC, jointly sponsored by the Hudson Institute and the Central Asia Caucasus Institute (CACI) at Johns Hopkins University. Uzbek officials claimed the video was based on footage found on supposed Islamic militants taken prisoner amid the government crackdown on the Andijan protesters. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive].

JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY: Uzbekistan decides to deny use of airbase by US forces

Joshua Kucera JDW Staff Reporter
Washington, DC

Originally published August 17, 2005

US operations in Afghanistan will be more difficult and costly after a decision by Uzbekistan to stop allowing Washington the use of one of its airbases, but this will not significantly affect US ability to work in Central Asia, US defence officials have said.

In July the Uzbek government formally asked the US to leave the Karshi-Khanabad (K2) airbase, from which US forces have conducted cargo, refuelling and combat search-and-rescue operations in support of their presence in Afghanistan. Washington has 180 days to leave, dating from the announcement.

"Without the use of K2 our operations will be more difficult and costly," said Lieutenant Colonel Barry Venable, a US Department of Defense spokesman. The missions conducted from K2 will now have to be spread among other facilities in the region, such as Bagram and Kandahar airbases in Afghanistan and Manas in Kyrgyzstan.