This was and is being openly done in the case of Iraq and Iran. It most certainly will backfire for the poor Uighurs, who can only expect more repression. Any sincere attempt to help preserve Uighur culture and civil rights -- in particular the destruction of the Old City of Kashgar -- should be carried out through, say, UNESCO, not covertly to incite civil war. The best scenario for an easing of the Uighurs' plight of course would be if the US operated on a policy of promoting peace and of not threatening and intriguing against other nations. Alas.
Perhaps the Chinese and Russians are tolerating US meddling in Central Asia in line with the age-old strategy of playing off your enemies against each other -- in this case, the Americans and the Taliban. This strategy was used by the US in the 1930s, building up both the fascists and communists to fight each other in Europe. Recall Truman's famous quip: "If we see that Germany is winning we ought to help Russia and if Russia is winning we ought to help Germany and that way let them kill as many as possible, although I don't want to see Hitler victorious under any circumstances." It can just as well be used against the Americans today.
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Eric Walberg writes for Al-Ahram Weekly http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/. You can reach him at http://ericwalberg.com/
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