A U.S. serviceman walks at the Manas Air Base near Bishkek February 12, 2009.(Shamil Zhumatov/Reuters)
From Yahoo News/AP:
BISHKEK (Reuters) – Kyrgyzstan is delaying a decision on whether to close the last U.S. airbase in Central Asia while it bargains with both the United States and Russia, the leader of the main opposition faction in parliament said on Friday.
President Kurmanbek Bakiyev said last week he wanted to evict U.S. forces from Manas airbase, an important staging post for U.S.-led operations in Afghanistan. He made the announcement in Moscow after securing more than $2 billion in Russian aid and credit.
But the formal eviction procedure requires parliamentary approval.
The parliament, dominated by Bakiyev's Ak Zhol party, has not yet even set a date for voting on the issue, prompting speculation that talks with the U.S. were going on or that the decision would be made when Russia transfers the promised funds.
Read more ....
My Comment:As expected .... this is a shakedown of the worse type. Will the American administration bite .... your guess is as good as mine.