Obama to Aid Uzbek Dictatorship

The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee, in a move initiated by the Obama administration, has voted to waive Bush-era human rights restrictions on military aid to the Islam Karimov dictatorship in Uzbekistan, one of the most brutal and repressive regimes on the planet. The lifting of the restrictions, now part of the Foreign Operations bill, is … Continue reading “Obama to Aid Uzbek Dictatorship”

Back to Uzbekistan

Herman Cain may not know or care who is the president of Uzbeki-beki-stan-stan, but the US government surely does. With the supply route to occupied Afghanistan via Pakistan increasingly problematic, the Americans are turning to what US officials have dubbed the “Northern distribution network” (NDN) to ensure the viability of their Central Asian outpost of … Continue reading “Back to Uzbekistan”

Rights Groups to Clinton: Don’t Let Logistics Trump Uzbek Rights

A broad coalition of 20 human rights, labor and consumer groups is appealing to the administration of President Barack Obama not to renew military aid and sales to Uzbekistan, widely considered one of the world’s most repressive dictatorships. In a letter sent Tuesday to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the coalition, which includes Amnesty International, Human Rights … Continue reading “Rights Groups to Clinton: Don’t Let Logistics Trump Uzbek Rights”