Obama just got the bill for the world perception that the US is weak when it comes to central Asia. The US has been hoping to keep the Kyrgyzstan airbase open for keeping the war in Afghanistan supplied. Kyrgyzstan, not being blind deaf and dumb, knows that this would annoy the Russians. They know full well that there's no point in hoping Obama would back them up if it came to a confrontation with Russia. For once, we can put an exact price tag on the perception of weakness.
Under the new one-year deal, rent will increase to $60 million per year from the current $17.4 million... [The US must] also pay $37 million to build new aircraft parking slots and storage areas, plus another $30 million for new navigation systems.
In return for all this, American use of the base will now be restricted to "transshipment of nonmilitary goods." I wonder what the price will be next year?
Whether there will even be a next year depends on whether Kyrgyzstan think their new air transport hub is adequate. Or, whether the Sov--er, sorry, Russian--Air Force thinks their new airbase is adequate. Who knows, they might let us keep building it for a few more years before they pull the plug!
And of course, it being Obama, he's likely to keep any agreements about nonmilitary goods, out of not trying to be provocative!
Oh well, as long as Pakistan doesn't close their airspace (hah!), we can still fly into Afganistan. And if Pakistan does try to close their airspace, perhaps we can build a new base there as well. Perhaps a new govt. to go along with it, even...
Comment by Prof. X — June 25, 2009 @ 12:15 pm