Beijing “firmly” backs Islam Karimov’s repression of anti-government demonstrators in Andijan. This is nothing new in a country where the president can get away with anything by blaming opposition on an extremist group. The United States, which considers Uzbekistan a strategic ally, has maintained a strong connection, particularly by using it to imprison terrorism suspects and providing aid in exchange for using a base. If Bush seeks freedom in Iraq, isn’t it a little hypocritical to ignore Uzbekistan?

Don’t worry, I’ll be quite some distance from the area.