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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 12-Jun-2010
12-Jun-10 News -- Ethnic civil war spreads in Kyrgyzstan

Web Log - June, 2010

12-Jun-10 News -- Ethnic civil war spreads in Kyrgyzstan

Heavy security in Tehran, Iran, stifles anniversary demonstrations

Fortunately, no news occurred during last week's hiatus (joking!), and regular coverage is now resuming.

Kyrgyzstan asks Russia for help in civil war in Uzbekistan border

Kyrgyzstan <font size=-2>(Source: CIA Fact Book)</font>

Kyrgyzstan (Source: CIA Fact Book)

At least 50 people have been killed, and hundreds injured, as ethnic Kyrgyz have been attacking ethnic Uzbeks, Russians and Tatars, according to Ria Novosti. The violence is centered in the city of Osh on the border with Uzbekistan in the volatile Fergana Valley.

Thousands of Uzbek refugees, mostly women and children, are massing on the border with Uzbekistan, trying to escape into Uzbekistan. However, the Uzbek border guards have been allowing few to pass through.

Kyrgyzstan is strategically important to many countries. Russia has a military base there. The United States also has a military base there, and this base is vital to provide supplies to the Nato forces in Afghanistan. Kyrgyzstan is on China's border, but China has remained uninvolved.

The Kyrgyz government has asked for military support from Russia, to control a potentially growing civil war, but the BBC World Service is reporting that Russia does not want to get involved in the Kyrgyz ethnic war. This is not surprising, considering Russia's bad experience in Afghanistan in the 1980s.

Iran's opposition leaders cancel rally planned for Saturday

It was on June 12 of last year that Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was re-elected president of Iran in an election that many claim was stolen.

New opposition rallies were planned for today (Saturday), but opposition leaders Mir Hossein Mousavi and Mahdi Karroubi called off the rallies rather than risk violence. However, there are reports that some demonstrations are being held independently.

Juan Cole, an analyst on Iranian affairs, is quoted by AP as saying, "A year later, it's clear that the hard-liners have won decisively through massive repression, deploying basij armed with clubs on motorcycles to curb crowds, jailing thousands of protesters, and torturing and executing some of them."

However, Iran is in a generational Awakening era, and a point in the generation timeline similar to America's Summer of Love in 1967 and surges in political violence in 1968. Riots and demonstrations continued intermittently for years, climaxing with the resignation of President Richard Nixon in 1974, and a similar scenario is expected in Iran.

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Saudi Arabia, in cooperation with the U.S. State Department, has informed Israel that Israeli bombers planning to bomb Iran's nuclear installations will pass unmolested over Saudi skies. London Times

Iran, with Turkey's support, is preparing to send its own "aid boats" to challenge the Israeli blockade of Gaza. London Times

On May 24, China's Rear Adm. Guan Youfei of the People's Liberation Army rose to deliver a hateful three minute rant against the United States, particularly claiming that U.S. arms sales to Taiwan prove that the U.S. views China as a enemy. Interviews indicate that Guan's view are actually mainstream views within the Chinese Communist Party. My guess is that this is a younger generation view, in contrast to the more concilatory views of the octogenarians in top government positions. Washington Post

China made a formal complaint to North Korea regarding the killing of three Chinese people near the common border between the two countries. The complaint is viewed as ironic because China has refused to blame North Korea for the killing of 46 in the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan. BBC

Burma (Myanmar) is denying reports that it is developing a nuclear weapons program with help from North Korea. BBC. However, officials in India are nervous about facing the imminent prospect of one more nuclear power on its border. Hindu Business Line

The government of the Netherlands is in chaos this week, after right-wing parties VVD and Geert Wilders' PVV won stunning victories, while the Christian democratic CDA party and Labour party suffered major defeats. This shift represents a major political realignment, brought about by the need for economic austerity, and the emergence of VVD's Mark Rutte as the new Dutch leader. NRC Handelsblad

(Comments: For reader comments, questions and discussion, see the 12-Jun-10 News -- Ethnic civil war spreads in Kyrgyzstan thread of the Generational Dynamics forum. Comments may be posted anonymously.) (12-Jun-2010) Permanent Link
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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 12-Jun-2010 12-Jun-10 News -- Ethnic civil war spreads in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan asks Russia for help in civil war in Uzbekistan border

Iran's opposition leaders cancel rally planned for Saturday

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Generational Dynamics Web Log for 12-Jun-2010
12-Jun-10 News -- Ethnic civil war spreads in Kyrgyzstan