We get to keep our base in Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan assured the United States on Tuesday that it could keep its base in the former Soviet Central Asian state to support American military operations in Afghanistan.

[...]

But acting Kyrgyz Defense Minister Ismail Isakov told a joint news conference with Rumsfeld: "The presence of the (U.S.) base fully depends on the situation in Afghanistan." He added that once Afghanistan became stable, there would be no further need for American use of the base.

"Today the minister (Rumsfeld) rightly noted that the situation in Afghanistan has not finally got back to normal," Isakov added.

With Russia's tacit acceptance, the United States established a military presence in former Soviet Central Asia in 2001 allowing it to use the region as a springboard for operations in Afghanistan. U.S.-led forces invaded Afghanistan to topple the Taliban rulers who had harboured al Qaeda, responsible for the September 11, 2001 attacks on U.S. cities.

Moscow is now becoming concerned that the U.S. military presence there could undermine its influence and foment revolutions like those that installed pro-Western governments in former Soviet Ukraine and Georgia.

  Reuters article

This is what irks me about the whole global system - indeed, the entire human race:

Impoverished Kyrgyzstan, whose new government came to power after a popular revolt in March and is trying to establish itself as an "island of democracy" in a mainly authoritarian region, has to tread a fine line between Moscow and Washington.

Serfs in a global feudal system. Dominance by the few over the many.

Earth life apparently will never accommodate personal sovereignty. Only an illusion of it (if you don't look too closely).

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.

Update 2:30pm: We get to keep Tajikistan, too.