Ya Bass

As mentioned previously in this piece Live Up To Your Words

The old "he may be a son of a bitch, but he's our son of a bitch" shouldn't protect him [President Karimov of Uzbekistan] any more - not only is the promotion of freedom the right thing to do it also make sense in a strategic sense because such short sighted policies nearly always end up creating more problems in the long term. Karimov may well be able to hold onto power this time but he will eventually fall in the medium to long term and it's in US interests in the region as well as those of the Uzbek people that the United States' does not disqualify itself from participating in the process of democratisation which Uzbekistan desperately needs.

It's still not enough yet (I would prefer to hear more outspoken criticism and more financial pressure) but at least this news is a step in the right direction - one that many cynics believed would not happen.Last US plane leaves Uzbek base

The US has flown its last plane out of an air base in Uzbekistan that has been an important staging point for US military operations in Afghanistan.

Uzbekistan in July gave the US six months to leave the base, after it joined international condemnation of the suppression of a May uprising.

In a ceremony, troops lowered the US flag and handed to Uzbek officials the keys to the Karshi-Khanabad base.

Sadly for some this news will inevitably just lead to a shift of their views on President Karimov and his regime - from that of a despicable tyrant who boils his opponents to that of the plucky underdog standing up to George W. Bush and US Imperialism.