[PGR88]

Muslims killing Muslims. Turkey jockying for political position with ethnic turks vs. the Russians

the more things change, the more they stay the same.

[AuH2ORepublican]

Sunni Muslims killing other Sunni Muslims. Not enough Christians or Jews there, I guess.

[Paladin2]

Maybe the Russians should stop in and provide stability?

[thefactor]

Had to look it up.

[maine-iac7]

I hope this doesn't affect our soldiers getting to and from Afghanistan via the transition air base there - (My g’son is supposed to leave the ‘ghan for his short ‘vacation’ homeside next week.)

[Zhang Fei]

The meaty parts:

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SPIEGEL ONLINE: What is Russia’s role? The transitional government asked Moscow to intervene, but that has not happened.

Schmitz: Russia plays a very sorry part in this conflict. Right now one has the impression that Russian crisis-management exists as a pretense, not as reality. This is also evident from the debate within the regional security body, the Collective Security Treaty Organization. It’s dominated by Russia, and it could not agree to send a peacekeeping mission. I can explain this only by saying there is a lack of deployable forces, a lack of political will and lack of responsibility. It’s becoming more and more clear that in emergencies, you can’t rely on Russia as a crisis manager. Moscow wants power and influence, but it’s not prepared to accept responsibility.

SPIEGEL ONLINE: What are possible reasons for Russia’s restraint?

Schmitz: Resistance to an intervention looks equally strong in the parliament, the leadership and the public at large. Part of the reason is fear of a second Afghanistan. Another part is the complexity of Kyrgyzstan’s predicament. The risks are considered too large to take on.

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[ohioWfan]

This is unsettling.