Uzbekistan, Bush ally, boils dissidents

Even as the Bushies and their allies ranted against Saddam's brutality, torture victims, human rights violations, etc., I ranted about the same from some of Bush's closest allies. I particularly focused on Uzbekistan -- the world's most repressive regime post-Taliban, and a beneficiary of Bush's hugs and kisses (to the tune of hundreds of millions in military aid).

You can read about it here, here, here and here.

Well, it seems that at least some are waking up to the brutal regime Bush considers a friend -- a regime that makes Saddam look like a teddy bear:

ndependent human rights groups estimate that there are more than 600 politically motivated arrests a year in Uzbekistan, and 6,500 political prisoners, some tortured to death. According to a forensic report commissioned by the British embassy, in August two prisoners were even boiled to death [...]

Hakimjon Noredinov ... became a human rights activist after a morgue attendant brought him his eldest son, Nozemjon. He had been left for dead by the security service but was still alive despite having his skull fractured. Nozemjon is now 33, but screamed all night since they split his skull open. He is now in an asylum, Mr Noredinov said. "People's lives here are no better for US involvement," he said.

"Because of the US help, Karimov is getting richer and stronger."

Richer to the tune of $500 million last year, including $79 million to the torturing security forces themselves.

And ironically enough, all of those wingnuts and chickenhawks -- the same people that were oh-so-concerned about Saddam's brutality -- can't bother themselves with caring about the suffering of the Uzbek people.

But just watch -- 10-20 years from now, when we suffer the inevitable blowback and have to go to war against Uzbekistan, those same wingnuts and chickenhawks will accuse the Left of "coddling" the Karimov dictatorship. We'll be "objectively pro-Karimov".

Funny how things always work out that way.

Posted May 28, 2003 02:42 AM | Comments (104)