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T U E S D A Y , J U N E 1 4 , 2 0 0 5Our Charming Allies In The War On Terrorby Michael in New York on
6/14/2005 03:44:00 PMBush is determined to do whatever it takes to spread freedomand democracy around the world...except when it isn'tconvenient.For lovely Uzbekistan, the cruel military dictatorship thatgunned down hundreds of its own people last month, Bush andRussia blocked an attempt to start an international probe intothis massacre. This Washington Post story appeared on A-15and hasn't made a stir anywhere. Who would be surprised orcare that Bush is happy to defend his closest allies when theyattack their own people?Defense officials from Russia and the United Stateslast week helped block a new demand for aninternational probe into the Uzbekistan government'sshooting of hundreds of protesters last month,according to U.S. and diplomatic officials.British and other European officials had pushed toinclude language calling for an independentinvestigation in a communique issued by defenseministers of NATO countries and Russia after adaylong meeting in Brussels on Thursday. But thejoint communique merely stated that "issues ofsecurity and stability in Central Asia, includingUzbekistan," had been discussed.Apparently Condi Rice has taken on the mantle of ineffectivesupporter of reason a la Colin Powell: her State Dept. was shouteddown by the Defense Dept. which thinks a military base in Uzbekistanis more important in the war on terror than actually FIGHTING thewar on terror by denouncing the slaughter of civilians by corruptgovernments. Way to go, Rummy!And in lovely Pakistan, Kristof of the New York Times reports on thefate of Mukhtaran Bibi -- a brave woman who was ordered raped bythe courts but refused to commit suicide afterwards and has becomea major activist.Ms. Mukhtaran used her compensation money to start twoschools in her village, one for boys and the other for girls.She went out of her way to enroll the children of herattackers in the schools, showing that she bore no grudges.Readers of my column sent in more than $133,000 for her.Mercy Corps, a U.S. aid organization, has helped heradminister the money, and she has expanded the schools,started a shelter for abused women and bought a van thatis used as an ambulance for the area.Her plan to visit the US and denounce honor killings, rapes and acidattacks on women was too much for the gov't, which has grabbed herand thrown her into a dank hole somewhere. Kristof annoyed me withthis comment:I've been sympathetic to Mr. Musharraf till now, despite hisnuclear negligence, partly because he's cooperated in thewar on terrorism and partly because he has done a goodjob nurturing Pakistan's economic growth, which in the longrun is probably the best way to fight fundamentalism. Soeven when Mr. Musharraf denied me visas all this year, toblock me from visiting Ms. Mukhtaran again and writing afollow-up column, I bit my tongue.But now President Musharraf has gone nuts.
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6/14/2005 03:44:00 PMBush is determined to do whatever it takes to spread freedomand democracy around the world...except when it isn'tconvenient.For lovely Uzbekistan, the cruel military dictatorship thatgunned down hundreds of its own people last month, Bush andRussia blocked an attempt to start an international probe intothis massacre. This Washington Post story appeared on A-15and hasn't made a stir anywhere. Who would be surprised orcare that Bush is happy to defend his closest allies when theyattack their own people?Defense officials from Russia and the United Stateslast week helped block a new demand for aninternational probe into the Uzbekistan government'sshooting of hundreds of protesters last month,according to U.S. and diplomatic officials.British and other European officials had pushed toinclude language calling for an independentinvestigation in a communique issued by defenseministers of NATO countries and Russia after adaylong meeting in Brussels on Thursday. But thejoint communique merely stated that "issues ofsecurity and stability in Central Asia, includingUzbekistan," had been discussed.Apparently Condi Rice has taken on the mantle of ineffectivesupporter of reason a la Colin Powell: her State Dept. was shouteddown by the Defense Dept. which thinks a military base in Uzbekistanis more important in the war on terror than actually FIGHTING thewar on terror by denouncing the slaughter of civilians by corruptgovernments. Way to go, Rummy!And in lovely Pakistan, Kristof of the New York Times reports on thefate of Mukhtaran Bibi -- a brave woman who was ordered raped bythe courts but refused to commit suicide afterwards and has becomea major activist.Ms. Mukhtaran used her compensation money to start twoschools in her village, one for boys and the other for girls.She went out of her way to enroll the children of herattackers in the schools, showing that she bore no grudges.Readers of my column sent in more than $133,000 for her.Mercy Corps, a U.S. aid organization, has helped heradminister the money, and she has expanded the schools,started a shelter for abused women and bought a van thatis used as an ambulance for the area.Her plan to visit the US and denounce honor killings, rapes and acidattacks on women was too much for the gov't, which has grabbed herand thrown her into a dank hole somewhere. Kristof annoyed me withthis comment:I've been sympathetic to Mr. Musharraf till now, despite hisnuclear negligence, partly because he's cooperated in thewar on terrorism and partly because he has done a goodjob nurturing Pakistan's economic growth, which in the longrun is probably the best way to fight fundamentalism. Soeven when Mr. Musharraf denied me visas all this year, toblock me from visiting Ms. Mukhtaran again and writing afollow-up column, I bit my tongue.But now President Musharraf has gone nuts.
Daily KosOpen Thread and Diary Rescue - *Today, srkp23(pulling a double shift), ybruti, taylormattd,ItsJessMe and vcmvo2 combed through hundredsof diaries to find this powerful list. Today's...18 minutes ago
EschatonOvernight - Folk On. Newish.35 minutes ago
HuffPost PoliticsMichael Likosky: Ed Rendell: Hardest Working Manin Infrastructure - At this year's National GovernorsAssociation (NGA) meeting, Governor Ed Rendell'stenure as Chair fittingly came to a close with aplenary session on infras...37 minutes ago
Crooks and LiarsOpen Thread - Open Thread below...1 hour ago
FiredoglakeLate Night: Livin’ the Dolce Vita with TheLovernator - Who's got time to govern? Certainlynot Mark Sanford.1 hour agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S
Show AllA M E R I C A B L O G T V
Next 6AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Our C...http://www.americablog.com/2005/06/our-charming-allies-in-w...
1 of 57/23/09 12:47 AM
Visit our AMERICAblog TV site.see all 322 videos >I collect with
vodpod
For the GOPers, healthcare is politics. They just
Traditional media has todebunk the birthers
One small step...
The right-wing media, thevoices of the GOP, in
REM - Orange CrushAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Our C...http://www.americablog.com/2005/06/our-charming-allies-in-w...
2 of 57/23/09 12:47 AM
The TreatmentObama Has a Grown-UpTalk With America(Gulp)47 minutes agoEzra KleinTab Dump5 hours agoWonk RoomSen. Byron Dorgan:The ‘Trade’ InCap-And-Trade ‘MakesNo Sense To Me’6 hours agoHealth BeatTruth Squad: WallStreet Journal HealthCare Editorial Wrong onthe Facts . . .7 hours agoDaily DoseProviders Endorse 'Payfor Value' ProposalsG AY P O L I T I C S
Visit our new gay politicssection, AMERICAblog Gay.F E E D S
Blog RSS
AMERICAblog TV RSS
Twitter RSSTwitter Feed
Get the blog by email:
Subscribe me!
Top AdAdvertise in this spot.H E A LT H C A R ER E F O R MAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Our C...http://www.americablog.com/2005/06/our-charming-allies-in-w...
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AMERICAblog
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SearchS E N D U S T I P S &C O M M E N T Samericablog@starpower.netB L O G A R C H I V E
Blog ArchiveS I T E S W E L I K EAir America RadioAlan Colmes' blogAri Melber (The Nation)Ben SmithBicycleMark's blog &podcastBilericoBradBlogBring It OnCarrie FisherCrooks and LiarsDailyKosDan Savage's "Slog"Daou ReportDemocratic UndergroundEschatonEzra KleinFire Dog LakeFiveThirtyEight.comFreeway BloggerThe Gavel (SpeakerPelosi's blog)Good As YouGlenn GreenwaldHoly Bullies and HeadlessMonstersHuffington PostHullabaloo (Digby)Jack and Jill PoliticsJed ReportJesus' GeneralKenneth in the 212Margaret and HelenMatthew GrossMedia MattersMike Signorile's "The Gist"MudflatsMyDDOpen LeftPlum LinePolitical Punch (JakeTapper)Political WirePolitics 1Pop SurfingProgressive Blog DigestQueers UnitedRawStoryRex WocknerRude PunditSmirking ChimpTalk LeftTappedTaylor MarshThink ProgressTowleRoadVetVoice.comWashington NoteWayneBesen.comWonketteWorth Repeating
N E W S L I N K SUSWashington PostNYTAP PoliticsReuters PoliticsRasmussen PollsTimeNewsweekRoll CallThe HillABCNews
P L E A S E S U P P O RTA M E R I C A B L O GOne-time donation$
Recurring monthlydonation$
Donations are nottax-deductible.L A B E L S
Select a labelL A S T 1 0 0 V I S I T O R SRecent Visitors
A B O U TA M E R I C A B L O GWhy AMERICAblog?Because a great nationdeserves the truth.What issues do youcover?US politics overall with aparticular focus on theObama Administration, theradical right, and civilrights.Who are you?John AravosisEditorWashington, DCJoe SudbayDeputy EditorWashington, DCChris RyanAssociate EditorParis, FranceRobert ArenaContributing EditorBaltimore, MarylandJacki SchechnerContributing EditorWashington, DCAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Our C...http://www.americablog.com/2005/06/our-charming-allies-in-w...
4 of 57/23/09 12:47 AM
© 2009 - John Aravosis | Design maintenance by Jason RosenbaumSend me your tips: americablog@starpower.netAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Our C...http://www.americablog.com/2005/06/our-charming-allies-in-w...
5 of 57/23/09 12:47 AM