The process of transferring the American Manas airbase to Kyrgyz servicemen is being completed. On Tuesday, 3 of June, an official ceremony of handing over the leased territory to the Kyrgyz government took place at the Pentagon’s “Manas” Transit Freight Center. Now, the territory of the airbase, located at Bishkek’s Manas International Airport, will be guarded by soldiers of the National Guard of Kyrgyzstan.
At the moment, on the territory of the airbase continue to be around 300 from the previously existing 1200 American troops there who will leave the territory of Kyrgyzstan by June 11. In the "legacy" from the Americans, Kyrgyzstan receives about 200 infrastructure facilities, including office buildings, headquarters, barracks, lecture halls, an infirmary, warehouses and canteens. Part of the equipment will remain in the republic, in particular, civilian transport, generators and office equipment. No weapons were left to the Kirghiz: everything that could be taken out, the subordinates of the Pentagon were taken out, part of the old tents were burned, and the Hummers and other armored cars were cut into metal. The cumulative value of the remaining property is estimated at about $ 30 million.
However, the Americans will not leave Kyrgyzstan completely. There is an opinion that an electronic intelligence center will be located at the US embassy in Bishkek and some of the staff of Manasa will move from the territory of the air base to the American embassy.
In any case, Kyrgyzstan remains too important a state in Central Asia for the United States to withdraw from it completely, and, moreover, forgive the activity of Russia and the Kyrgyz leadership in squeezing the airbase from the region. Dmitry Orlov, the general director of the East-West Strategy Analytical Center, told “However” what measures of “gratitude” the Americans will take regarding Kyrgyzstan.
“The withdrawal of American troops from Kyrgyzstan now poses Russia only one question: will it have enough opportunities to defend the republic if some kind of“ radical Islamists ”attack it? Judging by some last year's actions, Russia realizes this threat, otherwise it would not arm Kyrgyzstan. However, all these supplies make sense only if they correspond to the type of wars that are now common: that is, all with all. But if something like this is happening now in Ukraine, in Kyrgyzstan someday, it will happen, then not before the militia of Donetsk and Lugansk stop resistance. And they, apparently, will stop it only after being completely destroyed - they have nothing to lose.
At the same time, it must also be borne in mind that fully the Manas TTC will not leave Kyrgyzstan. According to the laws of the genre, its intelligence component is simply obliged to remain in the host country, along with equipment and specialists. Otherwise, we will have to think that the United States is building up a new embassy building for the purpose of setting up secular parties and children's parties there, ”said Orlov.
We remind you that the Manas airbase at the civil airport of the capital of Kyrgyzstan, Bishkek, was opened in 2001 year. In the incomplete 13 years of operation, 98% of military and civilian personnel who served there passed through the base to Afghanistan. In total, about 5,3 million people visited the Afghanistan air base.
Kyrgyzstan now can expect a strike from any side: starting from attempts to realize its own “Maidan” in the republic and ending with the emergence of Islamists and problems of a political nature, and Russia to prepare to defend its southern borders from destabilization, saving the republic.