RIP--Ronald Reagan

As I'm sure you've heard, President Reagan has died. Whether you agreed with his policies or found them to be a disaster, President Reagan's optimism and ability to clearly communicate that optimism, principle, and strength are in short supply among our leaders today.

Here are a handful of Reagan resources showing that great skill:

A collection of audio & video clips, including Reagan's address on Poland, the Challenger Speech, and the superb speech in Berlin in 1987.

Text of speeches can be found here.

Because tomorrow is the 60th anniversary of D-Day, it's only fitting to draw your attention to the two speeches President Reagan gave 20 years ago at Omaha and Pointe du Hoc.

We're here to mark that day in history when the Allied armies joined in battle to reclaim this continent to liberty. For four long years, much of Europe had been under a terrible shadow. Free nations had fallen, Jews cried out in the camps, millions cried out for liberation. Europe was enslaved, and the world prayed for its rescue. Here in Normandy the rescue began. Here the Allies stood and fought against tyranny in a giant undertaking unparalleled in human history.

We stand on a lonely, windswept point on the northern shore of France. The air is soft, but 40 years ago at this moment, the air was dense with smoke and the cries of men, and the air was filled with the crack of rifle fire and the roar of cannon. At dawn, on the morning of the 6th of June, 1944, 225 Rangers jumped off the British landing craft and ran to the bottom of these cliffs. Their mission was one of the most difficult and daring of the invasion: to climb these sheer and desolate cliffs and take out the enemy guns. The Allies had been told that some of the mightiest of these guns were here and they would be trained on the beaches to stop the Allied advance.

The Rangers looked up and saw the enemy soldiers--the edge of the cliffs shooting down at them with machine guns and throwing grenades. And the American Rangers began to climb. They shot rope ladders over the face of these cliffs and began to pull themselves up. When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another and begin his climb again. They climbed, shot back, and held their footing. Soon, one by one, the Rangers pulled themselves over the top, and in seizing the firm land at the top of these cliffs, they began to seize back the continent of Europe. Two hundred and twenty-five came here. After two days of fighting, only 90 could still bear arms.

Behind me is a memorial that symbolizes the Ranger daggers that were thrust into the top of these cliffs. And before me are the men who put them there.

These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc. These are the men who took the cliffs. These are the champions who helped free a continent. These are the heroes who helped end a war.

Over at Wizbang!, Jay remembers the Gipper. The Commissar chips in too. Joe, on Good News Saturday, says "While his death is certainly not good news, his life was." Drezner has an open thread. OTB has some more reaction.

President Reagan's body will be flown to Washington, where he will lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda. One of the various reporters put if well by saying, "He will then be flown back to California to be buried on a hill, looking down to the West" (I'm getting the line a little wrong, but the sentiment is there).

UPDATE: I forgot to say shame on NBC. I understand the Belmont Stakes is big and all, but it's an hour and a half of nothing until the race. I know you have advertisers.

UPDATE II (Which shall contain all further updates): ABC's coverage is exceptional in breadth and tone. Good job.

Priorities & Frivolities is doing a great job collecting reactions.

Pejman has a superb post on Reagan and the Cold War.

Nuclear row in Armenia - what's it all about?

The European Union this week froze 100 million euros ($122 million) in financial aid to Armenia because the government there has backtracked on an agreement to decommission its nuclear power plant at Metsamor.

So why does the EU want it closed down?

Well, for starters, the plant was built to the same design as Chernobyl. Considering that the prevailing winds at the time of the Chernobyl disaster blew most of the fallout westwards, the EU was, by the late eighties, a little nervous about having so many ageing and unsafe nuclear power plants on its doorstep. The fact that the plant is also located between two pretty big fault lines didn’t make them any happier. In 1988 Armenia suffered a massive quake that killed 25,000 people. Although the plant itself suffered no damage (it was built on a special raft, so it could survive any quake), it was decided to close it anyway. This, understandably, made the EU much happier.

By 1995 though, Armenia was embroiled in a nasty little war, and had upset most of its neighbors. Not a good position to be in when you have no oil or gas supplies of your own and are almost entirely dependent on imported energy. Turkey and Azerbaijan’s decision that year to blockade Armenia (including oil and gas supplies) left the government with little option but to re-open the plant. To make matters worse - the lack of reliable rail links means that all the nuclear fuel for the plant is flown in from Russia (yes, in reliable Russian airplanes). The EU was suddenly very unhappy again.

"This plant is a danger to the whole Caucasus region," says Alexis Loeber, head of the EU's delegation in Armenia. "Our position of principle is that nuclear power plants should not be built in highly active seismic zones."

The EU, true to form, dealt with the problem in the only way it knows how – it threw money at it. It agreed an aid package for which, in return, the Armenian government had to work to close the plant before the end of its lifespan in 2016. An alternative source of energy is available – the EU money was meant to go towards funding a gas pipeline from Iran. The trouble is, Armenia doesn’t seem to want to/doesn’t seem able to set a date.

So why isn’t Armenia playing ball? Why won’t it set a date and relieve the EU of its money? Basically, because the Iranians are not a particularly reliable partner for a country that has massive energy security issues. Armenia is a primarily Christian country; Iran isn’t. Although Iran supported Armenia in its war with Islamic Azerbaijan, the Armenian government remains suspicious that Iran’s friendship is one of convenience, and may not last into the long term. What if Iran were to shift its allegiance in any future conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan? What if a future conflict in Iran were to cut off supplies? With no nuclear power, Armenia would find itself in dire straits. Already fearing that Azerbaijani oil-wealth will embolden it in Nagorno-Karabakh, Armenia must secure its future energy supplies. Without them, its position relative to Azerbaijan will only get weaker.

The EU thinks that by withdrawing the aid money it is going to be able to effectively bully Armenia into making a decision. Once it realizes that 100 million Euros are slipping out of its grasp, Armenia will back down. After all, it will have to close the Metsamor plant sometime – it might as well get paid for doing so. But I think it underestimates how important this issue is to Armenia. It simply cannot do without a reliable energy supply and is so desperate it may well consider extending the plant’s lifespan to ensure it.

By trying to develop an alternative source of energy for Armenia, the EU has the right idea. But, by promoting Iran as the primary source, it has backed Armenia into a corner. By all means invest in a gas pipeline from Iran, but make sure that if the worst comes to the worst and that supply is cut, Armenia can make up as much as possible of its shortfall from other sources. Far better, in my opinion, would be to promote the development of a variety of energy sources for Armenia, and to make sure that as much as possible of is domestically produced. Already 25% of Armenia’s electricity comes from hydro power, and there is plenty of scope for expanding that – in fact new plants are already being built. The EU itself is over-reliant on imported energy and taking steps to diversify its supply. It would be a shame if it didn’t apply the lessons it has learnt to other countries in a similar position.

For Your Reading/Viewing Pleasure

Central Asia Weblog is, well, it's pretty self-explanatory. It's a bilingual weblog (English/German) written by a student at School of Oriental and African Studies. It's a damned pretty blog. Ben did fact-checking for Lutz Kleveman's The New Great Game: Blood and Oil in Central Asia. You can take that however you want, but for whatever it's worth, my brief encounter with Kleveman [The staff at Argus Towers is 95% certain that it was him, we didn't ask for a name or card as he was extremely obnoxious.] gives me little reason to take him seriously.

And, via Ben's blog, I found a great site on Kyrgyzstan with some photos of this incredibly beautiful country (Es tut mir leid, die Galerie ist auf Deutsch).

Enjoy! I'm going to try to pretend my computer doesn't exist this weekend so I can read The Khazar Dictionary.

From the Meaningless Threats Department

It's even from an unreliable news outlet.

Transdniestria to declare war on Georgia

«Transdniestria will provide assistance to South Ossetia, including military assistance if Georgia resorts to a power action», Transdniestrian leader Igor Smirnov stated.

«We (Transdniestria, Abkhazia, South Ossetia) have a treaty signed about mutual assistance in tough times. In case of an aggression threat we will not be standing aside, we will provide exhaustive assistance to our brothers, including military assistance», he reminded the journalists on Wednesday.

For me, the sun has long ago set on The Onion. I now rely on excellent humor joints like the Kavkaz Center for my thrills.

Seriously though, I find it more than a little interesting that another of Russia's vassals in its near abroad has a defense agreement with other breakaway regions across the former empire. I'm sure there's bounds of room for some great research on the motivations for these small ethnic enclaves to actually want (or claim to want) to be part of the Russian Federation.

Dog Eats (Part Of) Master

An old man dies, his dog gets hungry, so the dog starts nibbling on his former master.

Please, tell me, when you look at the photos, you can't help but want to make a joke about the picture of the liberated dog licking the faces of family members.

In case you forgot...

It's been 15 years. The BBC looks back. CNN has video.

UPDATE: For those who like to go in-depth, take a look at these declassified documents.

Nathan, June 3, 2004 in The Wider World | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

Dances With Bears

A string of events:

1) Georgia dispatches troops to South Ossetian checkpoints

2) Georgia pulls troops from South Ossetian border after 5-hour deployment

3) President Saakashvili dangles benefits for Ossetians aimed at reconciliation

4) Georgia and Russia exchange harsh words and Georgia's first lady is barred from entering South Ossetia

5) Ossetians agree to open rail links with the rest of Georgia

6) Georgia deploys troops (again) and armor to the South Ossetian border

7) Georgia denies deployment, saying troops were "returning to base"

8) South Ossetia expects to be invaded

Continue reading "Dances With Bears"

Nathan, June 3, 2004 in Kavkaz | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (1)

One of my favorite things

For the sheer political kitsch alone, the below item (the foreground one, of course) is one of my favorite mementos.

I got this by accompanying an ITAR-TASS journalist, whose daughter lied to the police, telling them I was a foreign journalist covering the event, to the front of the stage of a Zhirinovsky rally. Five feet away from the bastard the whole time. It was surreal. If anyone's interested, I could probably scan the photos.

For those not in the know, here's why I find the LDPR so amusing:

The ultranationalist Liberal Democratic Party has asked permission to hold a meeting in Lenin's mausoleum on Red Square and then remove his body, Interfax reported Thursday.

In a letter to the Kremlin, LDPR leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky said the meeting would be similar to a mourning procession and include a discussion of the removal of "the body of the leader of the global proletariat by forces of the LDPR faction."

LDPR would remove the body on the night of the meeting and then "take responsibility for all questions relating to the maintenance and sale of the body of V.I. Lenin," Interfax reported, citing the letter.

Nathan, June 3, 2004 in The Wider World | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (1)

Udins

I'm utterly fascinated by groups with unique identities that live in pockets amongst larger cultural or ethnically similar groups (which is why I love The Red Book and Ethnologue so much).

Via Blogrel, I heard about an all new group to be fascinated with, the Udins (or Udis). Here's some info from the Red Book:

Among modern-day Caucasian peoples the Udis are considered to be one of the most ancient. The Udis are referred to in the works of the classical authors. They are mentioned in the lists of the Serir and Old Albanian peoples and tribes, and they are mentioned by Herodotus, Strabo, Titus Livius, Tacitus, Pliny the Elder and Ptolemy. According to the classical authors, the Udis inhabited the area of the eastern Caucasus along the coast of the Caspian Sea, and occupied a territory extending to the River Kuba in the north. The Udis have also been recorded as living in the foothills of the Caucasus. Nowadays, only a tiny fragment of this illustrious and ancient tribe survives.

The whole entry is worth checking out. For those who enjoy languages, here's the Ethnologue entry for Udi.

I also managed to find something on the Udins today mentioning that the community is working hard to reinvigorate religious practices (Christian with a touch of Zoroastrianism and a dash of heathenism, I read) and expand publish in their own language.

Nathan, June 3, 2004 in History, Language, & Culture, Kavkaz | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (1)

Recommence Laughter

Continuing along the "laughing at Turkmenbashi" theme, we have another reason to do so.

Turkmenistan's new mosque, located in Turkmenbashi's home village and designed to hold 10,000 worshippers, will include lines from the Rukhnama on the walls.

There is a 50-metre-high dome, which has just been set into place by helicopter, and minarets twice as tall, towering above Turkmenbashi's ancestral village, the site chosen for what Mr Niyazov hopes will become a place of pilgrimage.

Now he has gone further and ordered that the facade will be inscribed with phrases from the Ruhnama - the Book of the Soul - a collection of his musings which is required reading in schools.

Wait, before we start remarking on the glorious return of the literal deification of leaders, the Big T has a "sensible" explanation for the move,

Speaking on television, Turkmenbashi, said it was sensible to have at least some writings people could understand, in Turkmen not just Arabic.

Umm, okay. I won't really comment on that.

Nathan, June 3, 2004 in Turkestan | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (1)

June 02, 2004

What's a plog?

Well, according to Amazon, it's a "personal weblog." What mine looks like can be found on your left.

The constant "What's the impact of blogs?" discussion always seems to focus on the media. If anything, the integration of blogging, even in such a strangely bastardized form, speaks volumes to how blogs are transforming, at the very least, the presentation of information in the online world.

Here are a couple more screen shots:

Incidentally, at work today, I remarked, "CityCares just needs a blog rather than the stupid "information center" that always seems to be breaking down. At the very least, blogs have warped my fragile little mind. But then again, I won't deny I probably have a problem.

Nathan, June 2, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Halk, Watan, Name?

OK, I take it back. Maybe we should continue to laugh at Turkmenbashi. It seems to be the only thing that works:

...by introducing a number of insignificant democratic reforms, Niyazov is simply trying to reduce pressure from the international community, which recently has been increasingly concerned about human rights violations in Turkmenistan. As the website notes, the resolution adopted by the UN Commission on Human Rights on April 15, which yet again denounced human rights violations in Turkmenistan, “apparently was sufficiently specific so that the dictator for the first time became doubtful about the absolute impunity of his barbaric deeds”

Don't get too excited though. I could all just be a clever trick to placate the world:

As gundogar.org suggests, the recent disappearance of Niyazov’s portraits is directly related to the arrival of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) delegation in Turkmenistan on May 28. Niyazov promised OSCE delegation members access to prisons and to acquaint OSCE representatives with prison conditions. By doing so, Niyazov is attempting to demonstrate that “no one sits in jails for their political, religious or other expressions.” As the gundogar.org insightfully suggests, the only statue of the president that was quietly disassembled was located in the immediate proximity to the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan, which would have been undoubtedly visited by the Western diplomats (gundogar.org, May 24).

A sly one, this one is. The article also notes that some policy changes have been diminished by instant back-tracking.

Nathan, June 2, 2004 in Turkestan | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (1)

June 01, 2004

Revitalizing Geneva

I've recently commented on the Geneva Conventions. My feeling is that the entire debate over applying them to detainees in Afghanistan (and many in Iraq) is as ill-informed (well, on my opponents' side anyway) as that over whether or not Bush "stole" the 2000 election. This more or less suggests that, with each situation, the debate--the seeking-out of rectitude--is a fool's errand. Rather, that there even is a debate suggests the need for reform in both situations. I'm no big fan of the Electoral College (sorry Wyoming, Rhode Island, etc., I know it augments your power, but...), and I find the Geneva Conventions as they stand to be hopelessly irrelevant to current conflicts.

Alan Dershowitz agrees. I'm inclined to quote a lot of it, but, to me, this is the heart of the need for reform:

Continue reading "Revitalizing Geneva"

Nathan, June 1, 2004 in Human Rights | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

May 31, 2004

Afghan Gold

That would be the name of the book bringing together these amazing photos were Mr. Powell not having such a hard time getting published.

There are great buzkashi photos on there, even some dog fighting ones (dog fighting videos from Afghanistan were, and probably still are, considered a hot commodity by Uzbek men).

There's a lot of great stuff in the photo archive covering 30 years. Check it out.

Nathan, May 31, 2004 in Afghanistan | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Weekly Roundup Returns!

Realizing how helpful these are in making the Regional Briefings, I'm working a litte harder at resuscitating the weekly roundup.

Before I begin, I want to officially and publicly thank P F for joining as a contributor. The Viking post shows why I'm happy to have him on board. I saw the story, and I would have probably just linked it, said "cool," and moved on to the same old politics and war news. Heaven forbid we actually get some color in this place every now and then.

First, in an absolutely unprecedented move, Uzbekistan allowed foreign forensic experts to investigate torture allegations. Dr. Michael Pollanen, a forensic pathologist for the province of Ontario took part in a second autopsy of Andre Shelkovenko. Police claimed he hanged himself, but his family said the body showed signs of torture. Pollanen said the police are telling the truth.

Dr. Michael Pollanen, a forensic pathologist for the province of Ontario, Canada, who observed a second autopsy on the body Thursday, said earlier alleged injuries "were related to understandable misinterpretations of changes that occur in all bodies after death."

Both external and internal examinations of Shelkovenko's neck showed "findings compatible with hanging and did not reveal evidence of strangulation," said Pollanen, also an associate professor of pathology at the University of Toronto.

Read the whole thing. This is by no means a closed-book case, but I'm inclined to agree with the U.S. and Canadian experts on this one. I don't, not for a minute, find it too hard to believe that a middle-aged Russian who murdered someone in a botched robbery would hang himself. I also find it well within the realm of reasonable possibility that his cellmates didn't intervene. (Something similar happened with a local case).

With the earlier announcement aimed at increased transparency in the prison system, it looks like the Uzbeks are trying to bring in the disinfecting power of sunlight to separate the fact from fiction. Surely, there's an interest in guaranteeing that they continue to receive aid from the U.S. as well. It will be interesting to see how this all turns out.

Now the rest of the news.

Continue reading "Weekly Roundup Returns!"

Nathan, May 31, 2004 in Roundup | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (2)

Vikings Return to the Caucasus and Turkmenistan

The Vikings were certainly well-travelled folk. According to the Georgian chronicle Kartlis Tsovreba,

In the beginning of the 1040s an armed force with Varjagi, i.e. Scandinavians, came to the small place Bashi, situated by the river Rioni in Georgia... [I]t is stated that they were 3000 men and presumably they had been rowing up the river after sailing eastwards on the Black Sea, most likely from the estuary of the Dnjepr River... Both the geographical area, the course of events and the time period make it probable that the story in the Georgian chronicle is a trace of the fatal Swedish expedition by the chieftain, Ingvar den Vittfarne (Ingvar the Far-Travelled), mentioned on at least 26 rune stones in mid-Sweden as well as in an imaginative saga from Iceland. [link]

Now a group of modern Scandanavians are planning to recreate the voyage, Kon-Tiki style.

A group of modern day Vikings is sailing and rowing to the Caspian Sea. They are retracing the route taken by the Viking chief Ingvar den Vittfarne (Ingvar the far-travelled). The Vittfarne Expedition would terminate in Baku in August 2004.

In 1036, Ingvar den Vittfarne led a fleet from what is now known as Sweden to the Caspian Sea. He navigated the Russian waterways to the Black Sea and from there, most probably continued down the Georgian river Rioni. After hauling his boats across land, he is believed to have continued his journey via the Mtkvari River in Georgia, which is known as Kur in Azerbaijan south eastward to the Caspian.

It is believed that Vittfarne even reached as far as Gara Bugaz located in present-day Turkmenistan.

Continue reading "Vikings Return to the Caucasus and Turkmenistan"

P F, May 31, 2004 in History, Language, & Culture | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

May 28, 2004

How do you say "about-face" in Uzbek?

Who knows whether or not it'll come to pass or last very long, but this is absolutely groundbreaking news.

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan AP) -- A top Uzbek prison official and human rights activists said Friday they would jointly monitor prisons in this former Soviet republic -- unprecedented cooperation that follows allegations of widespread abuse of prisoners

Skepticism is advised, but it's still amazing news. Read the whole thing.

Nathan, May 28, 2004 in Human Rights, Turkestan | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (2)

John Kerry at 0% APR Until 2005

I take more than a passing interest in my junk mail. Part of my job involves "direct marketing" (I'm ethical about it).

So, what I am about to present to you in photographs is, in my opinion, all politics aside, absolutely brilliant. I don't know if this is entirely new, but it is definitely the first time I've seen a credit card for a political party.

A quick note before you begin: TypePad hasn't been all that speedy lately. The images aren't all that big, but they may be slow-loading.

Continue reading "John Kerry at 0% APR Until 2005"

Nathan, May 28, 2004 in US Politics | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (2)

Phriday

I love Phridays.

Nathan, May 28, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

No Comment

Nope, none at all.

Thanks, Tatyana!

Nathan, May 28, 2004 in Turkestan | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

The Tajik Synagogue Fiasco

I'd hate to to do it, but I'm going to have to disagree with both Joe Katzman and Meryl Yourish's characterization of the destruction of Tajikistan's lone synagogue.

Continue reading "The Tajik Synagogue Fiasco"

Nathan, May 28, 2004 in Turkestan | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

May 27, 2004

It All Comes Together

Quick! What's the connection between Afghanistan and the 1978 version of Dawn of the Dead?

Scott Reiniger

Still stumped? Listen to this story from The World. It seems that Mr. Reiniger is descended from the great Philadelphian, Dr. Josiah Harlan, a.k.a. Prince of Ghor, Lord of the Hazarahs, spiritual and military heir to Alexander the Great. No foolin'. There's a great new book (I'm told it's great, I have it on the way. here's a review.)

The title "Prince of Ghor" was granted to Harlan and his heirs. It's Reiniger's if he wants it.

Nathan, May 27, 2004 in Afghanistan, History, Language, & Culture | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Attn: Lee Sabi Perv-boys

I'm assuming you're boys anyway (and apparently located in East Asia). Lee Sabi has long been a reliable generator of Google hits (as was my intention). For those who have sought for many moon the Lee Sabi pictures, visit The Marmot. He's got the relief you seek.

Nathan, May 27, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

In Defense of Oregon

There is a widely-held prejudice that Oregon is home to lots of tree-hugging moon-maidens and nutjob political and religious movements.

Abu Hamza Al-Masri's plan to set up a terrorist training camp in Bly, Oregon would seem to fit this pattern. (Here's Bly on a map. Nice area.)

Let me say, in defense of my beloved land of birth, let not the loons you hear about on the news reflect on Oregonians in general. The craziest of the crazies and nuttiest of the nuts are not, in fact, Oregonians by upbringing. (In my experience, they tend to be Californians or New Englanders, but I'll leave that for another day.) It's a big state with lots of space. That's part of the appeal. Usually we just get the harmless eccentrics whose most deviant behavior is multi-day festivals focusing on smoking pot and selling bongs. Occasionally, we get the bad as well (quick history fact: The Dalles, Oregon is the first place in the US to suffer a biological terror attack--at the hands of the Rajneeshis).

Ahhh, the things Oregon makes the news for. I'm glad this bastard got taken down.

Nathan, May 27, 2004 in Political Islam | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

May 26, 2004

Tempting

Amanda emailed me info on The Mongol Rally. This is probably something of a response to me mentioning my secret desire to put the horde back together (think Apocalypse Now or, more appropriately, The Man Who Would Be King).

The whole trip is London to Ulan Bator via Moscow--6,700 miles in three weeks. You have to drive a crap car. You also have to live in it, alternating between driving and sleeping with a buddy. I particularly like the approach to safety and support on the trip:

If you want a full support crew you're in the wrong place. If nothing goes wrong, then everything has gone wrong. You only start having fun when you break down in the desert with only a short stick and some chewing gum to fix your car. If your automobile completely lets you down and all else fails, e.g. the sky has fallen on your head, we will do our damndest to get you to Mongolia by moving you into other cars. However you are supposed to be on an adventure not in a nursery class so if the sky does fall on your head, prop it up with a windscreen wiper and carry on. If you're worried, stay at home and iron some pants.

Not that ironing is always safe, but still, I like the attitude.

The route takes you through what looks like at least ten countries, including both of the K-stans and their capitals.

I'm already on record about wanting to travel from sea to shining sea on the other side of the world, so this is very tempting. 2005? God knows, but it does sound like fun.

Nathan, May 26, 2004 in Mongolia & "North Turkestan", Skylarkings | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBack (1)

It is not for me...

to resist such opportunities.

The look on his face pretty much removes any possible need for me to make a comment on his remarks.

(HT: Michele)

Nathan, May 26, 2004 in Skylarkings | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (2)

Random Trivia

What was the first movie to earn a PG-13 rating?

Kind of, but kind of not really entirely, off-topic.

Nathan, May 26, 2004 | Permalink | Comments (12) | TrackBack (0)

May 25, 2004

Coolest. Peace Corps Volunteer. Ever.

Without a doubt. And, he wants to be governor. Could Texas do worse?

And, anyone interested in making me an Honorary Texas Jewboy, here's how....

Nathan, May 25, 2004 in Peace Corps | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

New Assistance for Middle East & Central Asia

The Senate is proposing new assistance and investment in the Middle East and Central Asia.

The purpose of the Act (S 2305 IS) is to authorise assistance for political freedom and economic development, particularly through private sector development, in the Greater Middle East and Central Asia, including contributions to and participation in three new entities: a Trust for Democracy, a Development Foundation, and a Development Bank.

Here's the complete text. While I certainly am a fan of the small and medium business support provisions, it's the democratization stuff that most interests me:

CREATION OF TRUST FOR DEMOCRACY- The President is authorized to establish, together with other donors and private sector and nongovernmental leaders from the Greater Middle East and Central Asia, a multilateral, public-private Trust for Democracy to support grass-roots development of civil society, democratic reform, good governance practices, and rule of law reform in the Greater Middle East and Central Asia. Private foundations shall be encouraged to participate in the Trust through the provision of matching funds.

Sure, there are no specifics, and I'm sure there will undoubtedly be changes made, but the extra $5 billion for 2005-2009 is very welcome.

Nathan, May 25, 2004 in Afghanistan, The Wider World, Turkestan | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

A Damned Shame

Tajikistan's only synagogue is being demolished to make way for a presidential palace:

The government has ordered the Jews out of the Dushanbe synagogue by the end of July so it can be demolished with the surrounding neighborhood. The plain, white building where Jews say they have worshipped for more than a century is to be replaced by a ``Palace of Nations'' complex that will serve as Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov's office.

The city has offered several plots on the outskirts of Dushanbe for a new synagogue, but it refuses to compensate for the loss of the building, insisting state funds can't be used for religious institutions.

Eminent domain without compensation. Great.

I'm tempted to quote more, but just read the rest. While so many of Central Asia's Jews, including the "Bukharan" Jews who have lived there for one helluva long time, have left, those who have stayed have demonstrated incredible determination to preserving what is left of their traditions and communities. It's nice that some businesspeople in Bukhara have taken to restoring Jewish architecture, but it's not quite the same.

Here's a variety of links on the Jews of Central Asia:
Bukharan Jews
Jewish history of Uzbekistan
An excellent site devoted to Khazaria, the Turkic Jewish kingdom now located in Russia
As far as restored Jewish architecture goes, check out Emir Bed & Breakfast, which is run by a wonderful woman. This business and the website received a boatload of aid and support from a couple of Peace Corps Volunteers. I stayed in this room.

Nathan, May 25, 2004 in Turkestan | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBack (1)