American news accounts of Karimov's death omitted America's role propping him up.
It would be nice to hope that the flowers of democracy will sprout in the soil of the dictator's grave. But years of suppression have destroyed the opposition groups that might have been able to step into power as part of a post-Karimov transition. The post-KGB security forces will continue to protect themselves and their kleptocratic bosses. Acting Uzbek president Nigmatulla Yuldashev will no doubt call for another of the country's sham elections, which a hand-selected member of the ruling elite is predestined to win. And Obama will keep the military aid flowing.
This is the kind of thing that causes Muslims to hate us. It's why we are a constant target of terrorism. But nothing is going to change there unless something changes at the top here.
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