There is No “Collective Security” in Eurasia

Ariel Cohen / June 17, 2010

The United States’ administration’s deference to the Kremlin in resolving Kyrgyzstan’s current ethnic cleansing ignores reality. Russia is seeking to dilute and diminish US influence in Eurasia despite much ballyhooed “reset” between the Kremlin and President Obama’s White House. Whatever the Administration wants to believe, Russia continues views geopolitics of Eurasia as a perennial “Great Game”.

Ethnic strife is, unfortunately, a part of this game. Anti-Uzbek ethnic riots broke out in southern Kyrgyzstan last Thursday, and the official death toll has risen to well over a hundred, with the International Red Cross estimating a final figure as much as 700 killed and thousands injured.

Tens of thousands of Uzbeks are running to the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border, trying to escape the violence, with the Red Cross some sources estimating the number of refugees to be 80,000 people. The violence so far did not directly affect the US air base in Manas.

The base, outside Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, is critical for the campaign in Afghanistan. It is used as a logistics hub and for refueling of air operations in Afghanistan’s skies. (more…)