Ubeki-Beki-Beki-Stan-Stan

This is not really the venue for long explanations about the upcoming US Presidential elections. In 2012 the americans will be able to kick Obama out of his office – I mean, if they can be bothered, given the (present) array of absolutely inept candidates that are (presently) fighting for a nomination on the Republican side. That’s a pity Sarah Palin decided not to run – at least, she is good looking. Anyway, the campaign drama this week reached far away from the US borders, being felt in Karimovland. Herman Cain, a radio host who wish to be the GOP candidate, said in an interview that he doesn’t know the president of “Ubeki-Beki-Beki-Stan-Stan” and that he doesn’t think it is important to know it.

What amazes me is not the fact that he doesn’t know or doesn’t care. He is 100% right – knowing that Karimov is the president of Uzbekistan, itself, is useless, it is just a trivia question. However, there is something that bothers me a little here. And it is the fact that US politicians – in this case, a possible future White House dweller – seemingly don’t grasp the importance of a strategic country that borders Afghanistan (where so many US soldiers died in the last years) and don’t take opportunities like this to let everybody know that there is something important here. George W. Bush was a Texas man who didn’t give a damn to what happened beyond his ranch. As president, turned the whole country into his own private Texas and was taken by surprise (or not, say many conspirationists) by the 11/9 attacks. It is important for future presidents to do their homework. Yes, this is important, yes, it is worth saying it is important, yes, Uzbekistan is far away, but definitely it is not that far away. Bet that prior to 11/9, Bush thought – if he knew Afgha-Afgha-Afgha-Nistan at all – that the country that harboured Osama Bin Laden was one of the “small insignificant countries around the world”.