Kyrgyzstan: The Usefulness of the Manas Shooting Incident

The U.S. air base in Kyrgyzstan released a statement Dec. 8 saying that the U.S. soldier who shot and killed a Kyrgyzstani truck driver Dec. 6 acted in self-defense. The death has attracted the attention of Kyrgyzstani President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, who has vowed to take personal control over the investigation. Bakiyev is using the incident to put pressure on the United States and rally some support from Kyrgyzstanis (and from Russia) for his weakened regime.