The "revolution" in Kyrgyztan

Well, the evidence would seem to suggest that the Americans were behind the so-called "tulip revolution" in Kyrgyzstan five years ago with Mike Stone, at that time, the project director for Freedom House, a so-called "pro-democracy" foundation that was part-funded by the American government, reported as having said, "mission accomplished,"after the crowds drove out the then President Askar Akayev and his family. It would appear that Akayev's downfall was not so much his ruling with a heavy hand, or his rigged presidential election in 2000, after all Bush was doing much the same thing in the United States, but rather his courting the Chinese and Russians. Yes, it would seem that there was a hard-nosed calculation by Washington that its vital interests could be better served by a regime change and it could very well be that Akayev's decision to let the Russians open the Kant Base in October 2003 was the final straw for Washington. Whatever the reasons, it had nothing to do with "democracy" then and it certainly hasn't now. An interesting diversion and the Russians don't seem to hold a grudge against the ex-despot and Askar is now a professor at the Moscow State University. However, back to the "real" story. Or, is there really a story here at all? Well, not if we are looking for a revolution!

This week's "revolution" in Kyrgyztan has seen the man who  replaced Akayev deposed and replaced, as interim leader, by Roza Otunbayeva. Superficially, this might appear ominious for the Americans, with the mainstream media quick to suggest that Russia helped to oust Bakiyev. However, with Otunbayeva already having confirmed that the American base at Manas will not be closed, we shouldn't be paying too much attention to the daily drivel and while we shouldn't be too surprised if Otunbayeva and her cronies ultimately go the same way as Akayev and Bakiyev, it won't be before they have established another corrupt "little" regime, which like its predecessor will seek to play ball with both the Russians and the Americans, to the complete satisfaction of neither, while lining their own pockets just like their predecessors. Indeed, what we have is not so much another twist in the "Great Game" but rather a continuation of it and what we also have is a long way from any real revolution. Then, of course, revolution, never was "orange", or "green", or "velvet", "or "twitter". Indeed, the results of these "revolutions" are surprisingly beneficial to all and sundry; the "King is dead, long live the King" and Akayev turns up as a professor in Moscow although he has no real need to work at all and we might expect Bakiyev and his family to be living the good life if not in Bishkek, perhaps in Switzerland. Let them eat cake and we can be fairly certain that when the time comes for Otunbayeva to go, she won't be dining on bread and water.