Money it's a gas

"Any possible misappropriation of funds is an internal Kyrgyz matter," a Pentagon spokesman, Bryan Whitman, said in a statement.

Gli Stati Uniti hanno una base aerea in Kyrgyzistan, essenziale per i collegamenti con l'Afghanistan. Tanti soldi, centinaia di milioni di dollari, per l'acquisto del carburante, sono andati a parenti e famliari del ex- Presidente Askar Akayev.

Chi comanda ora non è contento, e vorrebbe i soldi indietro. Il Pentagono non vuole pagare una seconda volta.

"[...]the case also illustrates the risks of alliances with nations that are unstable and rife with corruption. Mr. Akayev's abrupt departure in March has put the Pentagon in an awkward bind. It needs continued access to the base, but the $207 million spent on fuel contracts has created resentment among the country's new leaders, some of whom contend that the United States knew where the proceeds were going".

Pentagon's Fuel Deal Is Lesson in Risks of Graft-Prone Regions, DAVID S. CLOUD, The New York Times, 15 novembre 2005