Kyrgyzstan to shut down US base

Russia Today: http://www.russiatoday.com/news/news/36821
February 4, 2009, 21:21
Kyrgyzstan to shut key NATO base
The President of Kyrgyzstan has announced that the US military will have to leave the Manas Air Base near Bishkek. The facility is central to NATO operations in Afghanistan. The Kyrgyz government said the US wasn't prepared to pay an appropriate fee to use the base.

Kyrgyzstan says US personnel will be leaving the air base within 180 days, after the deal is ratified by both sides. The country's parliament will vote on the president's decision on Friday.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation had been insisting on its closure since 2005.

President Kurmanbek Bakiyev made the announcement in Moscow after he was promised a 2 billion dollar loan by the Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev.

Initially, it was a question of one or two years, Bakiyev said. Eight years have passed. We have repeatedly raised the issue of economic compensation for the existence of the base in Kyrgyzstan with our American partners, but we have not been understood.

The once-warm welcome has chilled after reports of fights between American soldiers and locals. In one incident, two women were run over in Bishkek by a vehicle driven by a US soldier. In another, a Kyrgyz citizen was shot dead by an American soldier who escaped prosecution due to immunity enjoyed by US military at the base.

But Washington says it still hopes to continue using the Manas base as it is a major supply depot for NATO troops in Afghanistan.

For US President Barack Obama, who has vowed to boost the war effort in Afghanistan, word of the closure is bad news.

According to Walid Phares from the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, the base is very significant.

We all know that it ensures from the North air cover operations which are not just US and not just NATO, its an international operation against terrorist organisations inside Afghanistan, specifically the Taliban and Al Qaeda, he said.

Russia, along with China and Kyrgyzstans neighbours Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan has long campaigned for the closure.

Kyrgyzstan also hosts a Russian military base on its territory.

After the talks in Moscow, President Medvedev announced a two billion dollar package of loans to Bishkek. He also promised to write off part of Kyrgyzstans debt to Russia.

We have a special relationship with Kyrgyzstan. Its unprecedented support in times of financial crisis, but its a strategic decision that is in the interests of both Russia and Kyrgyzstan, Medvedev said.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Kyrgyzstan
• US
• Russia

[sandro28grizz]

Good, we should not have a base in Kyrgyzstan or any other nation. We are in the middle of the biggest recession since the 1930s, yet we still wish to maintain our trillion-plus dollar empire. Close down all the bases, pull all US troops home, and see how much money we save in the process. Plus, instead of spreading our troops all over the fucking planet, we'll have them all here to protect our own borders.

[DeLellisFilms]

Bring all soldiers home from these unnecessary places. We shouldn't be policing the world. We should only interfere, when a country calls for us to help.

[geowar42]

Loving that 'MoscOE' at the end :D

[geowar42]

the way this woman says 'kyrgyzstan' makes me shudder.

[lera90]

@Davidwhat ... only if u want me to b ;) hahahaha jk.

[Dackkg]

Alright, whatever will happen, but our new government won't allow to extend US base in Kyrgyzstan, coz here will be accepted new constitution, in addition new agreements with US..

[Jmontastic]

@sandro28grizz The US gov just needs to be carefull and continue to ply there cards carefully. One thing for certain is that WE cannot be simpleminded relying on biased journalism/propaganda. We must take in from both sides of the arguments to make a much more educated decision. Good luck to you my friend.

[Jmontastic]

@sandro28grizz The situation is not as simple as you'd think it would be. I believe there are ups and downs with every decision especially those that effects the rest of the world. There are many positives that come with the enormous military spending as there are negatives.

[sandro28grizz]

@Jmontastic We shouldn't even be spending as much as we do on military technology. If we cut 25% of our military spending, we'd still be spending more than the next 5 nations combined.

[sandro28grizz]

@Jmontastic I disagree. Aid can be distributed through organizations like Red Cross and through UN avenues. Why you think that only the military can distribute aid, I don't know. As for communication, for what? For that war in Afghanistan that we're never gonna win? We wouldn't necessarily become isolationist, would you consider Canada isolationist because they don't feel the need to build a base every time they conduct a military operation?