"Baku." The American capitalism's is striving to establish a world monopoly of oil. Juan Cole helps us to understand that on account of oil, blood is being shed. U.S. oil companies are crass. It's not easy to understand the Islamic movement either and why soldiers must die because of the lure. Oil.

There certainly has been no effort at "conflict resolution" and honest discussions in our "leadership" about a Central Asia culture, their irresponsible governments, their oil pipelines spread across all those "stans"...our military bases etc.,

Afganistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikisstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbeskistan. All those "stans."

How can we citizens be informed unless people like Juan tell us what his expertise senses from a more familiar, and honest assessment? When all the words were being flung around that were foreign to our 21st Western ears; I accidentally head a Ahmed Rashid being interviewed on npr radio. I sat in my pick-up truck where I sometimes "hide" and find a beautiful music tune.

I bought the book later to try to comprehend, "Jihad-- The rise of militant Islam in Central Asia." He also for the Wall Street Journal and his known for his weighty analysis about that far-away oil-land. He wrote "Taliban" which was a # 1 NYT's best seller.

I sure admit that the world of thought, ref: 'stuff' about the World Bank, Chevron, Exxon's and CEO's, etc., 'stuff' of The United Nations Deverlopment Programs...etc., is very strategic "foreign" 'stuff' mentality to me. I only glean the more simple sentences:...'stuff'...

...*the areas have been beset by wars, misery, irresponsible political shortsighted (long before Bush2's entrance, but as oils # '1' representative)..."food for oil," (hoax)...Western diner aid...

THEN: people have sold everything for food, they have nothing left to sell, they have sold their doors, windows, and one can see children digging in wheat fields, searching for grain in a rat hole, where a rodent hoarded winter stores. And 60,000 children in southern Tajikistan are unable to attend school because they have no shoes or clothes...and on and on.*

...Informed persons, worldwide, were warning about NO Good outcome in these oil-conglom real-estate's areas, decades previous to BusbCo's cabal, and the medium and 'tool' was a willing "journalistic" press. BushCo raced to fetch a black rodent's hind quarter-- Baku- interpreted= Oil.

...We really have a batch of sleazy in DC's playground sand box...it's ugly and bloody.

...others comments above the 'stuff' we need to hear, and it's well said. I just wanted to say "Thanks Juan Cole."

I can't remember my password at your site (?) and maybe the plague of "I forget, I can't recall" is fallen upon all the Westerner's associates and a lapse in memory, is a sot death?

I do REMEMBER I was corresponding with the maladministration before 9-11. They nose knot how to speak the truth. What frauds, ill, and they LIE!

Treacherous.

Our quarrel now is dark to view,

They bear the weakest, and gloomiest hue.

Treacherous.