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Enjoy spectacular, controversial, authentic Uzbekistan in pics!
Journey through authentic Uzbekistan in pics!
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Pictures and excerpts from Lada Ray’s latest Earth Shift Report 14:
PREZ KARIMOV’S DEATH & UZBEKISTAN CROSSROADS
SILK ROAD-ISLAMISM-MAIDAN-EURASIAN UNION
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Where Uzbekistan falls on the new Eurasian map (2014)
Map of the Soviet Union: Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic (SSR) is in purple, below Kazakh SSR
FLAGS:
1. Uzbek SSR flag with Uzbek SSR crest superimposed (both based on the USSR flag and crest)
2. Today’s Uzbekistan flag (with decided influences from Muslim and US traditions)
Uzbekistan was always famous for its cotton and its food: cotton harvest
Famed Uzbek Plov, a very delicious dish, consisting of rice, meat, garlic and spices; carrots, raisins or other dried fruit could be added as well.
Vibrant Central Asian / Uzbek bazaars haven’t changed much since the times of the old Silk Road: local breads, vegetables and spices are sold.
The only difference: now women sell produce, while in medieval times only men were allowed to trade. A woman’s place was at home, cooking, cleaning, rearing children, while her face and body had to stay hidden at all times underneath a burqa.
It has to be strongly emphasized that this was a life of a woman in Central Asia before the 1917 Russian Revolution.
With all its shortcomings, the Revolution and new ideas by Lenin brought a true social revolution to backwards areas like Central Asia. Women suddenly could go to school, vote, gain professions and work outside of home.
Per Muslim custom, only males are allowed at President Karimov’s lavish funeral ceremony inside the historic Samarkand cemetery
PM Dmitry Medvedev, who has represented Russia at the late President Karimov’s funeral, consoles Karimov’s wife Tatyana Karimova and younger daughter Lola Karimova-Tillyaeva.
Notice that Karimov’s wife is Russian, and his daughter is married to a Russian, which we can tell by their names. Like in Kazakhstan, despite 25 years of ‘independence’ and attempts to distance away from Russia, national elites remain Russian-speaking and largely connected to Russia via education, culture, wives and various relatives.
The USSR invested untold billions into meticulously restoring and preserving the historic Silk Road city of Samarkand and another gem, Bukhara. If not for Soviet restoration and preservation, today little would be left of both.
Today, Samarkand is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Beggars in Samarkand, 1905
Painting: 19th century Samarkand, remnants of the Silk Road
Restored Samarkand today: UNESCO World Heritage site
For many more spectacular images of Samarkand, Tashkent, Uzbek bazaars and customs, along with history, lore, geopolitics and Lada Ray prognosis for Eurasia, EAEU and the New Silk Road
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Urgent ESR14: Prez Karimov’s Death and Uzbekistan Crossroads
This surprise ESR14 is based on the breaking news of Uzbekistan’s President Islam Karimov’s sudden death and its consequences!
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READ NEW
URGENT EARTH SHIFT REPORT 14
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PREZ KARIMOV’S DEATH & UZBEKISTAN CROSSROADS
(SILK ROAD-ISLAMISM-MAIDAN-EURASIAN UNION)
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Written report with Lada Ray’s SPECTACULAR UZBEKISTAN PICTURE GUIDE!
Report Stats: Lada Ray’s hot intel, secrets & subterfuge, analytics and predictions about late Uzbek president Islam Karimov; about Putin, Russia and Eurasian Union; Uzbekistan (its economy, people, history, maps, problems, bazaars, monuments and Silk Road); plus US and Islamist hand in Central Asia! For desert: Lada Ray’s SPECTACULAR UZBEKISTAN PICTURE GUIDE!
On September 2, 2016 the government of Uzbekistan officially announced that Islam Karimov, continuous Uzbek president of 25 years, who had been in this post since 1991, suddenly passed on after a massive stroke. There were rumors that he, in fact, had died earlier but the real date was concealed.
The significance of what happened is three-fold.
1. Uzbekistan is a pivotal crossroads of Eurasia. In medieval times, its famous cities of Samarkand and Bukhara served as key connector points on the ancient Silk Road to Russia and Europe.
Today, this former Soviet Republic has a different significance. Still the richest and most influential state in Central Asia (except Kazakhstan), it serves as a key connector between republics which are in line for ascension into Eurasian Union. Therefore, it is a lucrative strategic location to stage a color revolution in order to prevent the re-unification of Eurasia.
2. It is a tough test for the legacy left by Karimov and for the sturdiness of structures he was able to build after this Soviet republic literally fell in his lap during the breakup of the USSR.
Will his power and state security structures be able to deal with the aftermath of his death? There will definitely be attempts to create Islamic State (IS) and/or nationalistic Maidan in Uzbekistan. Some called Karimov ‘a dictator.’ Others consider him a Western sell-out. Whatever one may think of him, it is undeniable that he managed to preserve the republic he received 25 years ago intact, and didn’t allow it to descend into the chaos of Muslim fundamentalism.
Uzbekistan has been primed for the Kiev-style Maidan since 1991, where many failed color revolution attempts took place. This activity in the past 2 years has intensified dramatically, coinciding with Ukraine 2014 coup and subsequent moves by Russia and Putin to expand Eurasian Union. I’d warned of the upcoming attempts at color revolutions in Central Asia and Caucasus in ESR9: ATTACK ON KAZAKHSTAN – WHO DESTABILIZES EURASIAN UNION.
Like its neighbors, Uzbekistan began its progress towards EAEU, while distancing itself from the former ally USA. And that’s when Karimov suddenly passed on.
3. Was his death natural, or was it a foul play? At 78, Islam Karimov was the oldest of the post-Soviet space leaders. What has happened exposes a massive weak link in the power structures of Russia and post-Soviet / Eurasian states.
This glaring weakness has been known for years; however, to this date a fool-proof solution hasn’t been found yet. I am talking about the fact that unlike in the West (say USA), where the country’s leader is mostly, or entirely, a figurehead, with real puppet masters hiding in the safety of the behind-the-scenes obscurity, there is no shadow government in Russia and former republics. The real, and usually very strong leader is on top, for all to see. Consequently, such leader becomes a lightning rod for attacks.
FULL LIST OF TOPICS
Intro: Uzbek President Islam Karimov’s death, its significance and consequences
Did Uzbekistan exist as an independent state at any time in history?
Why Lenin formed 15 Soviet Republics
Uzbekistan’s color revolutions (2005 Andijan massacre)
1991-2016 Relations with US and Russia
Issues of security and stability during Karimov’s reign
Why post-Soviet space leaders suddenly wanted to improve relations with Russia
From Silk Road to New Eurasia: Uzbekistan as crucial geopolitical crossroads
Structure of Uzbekistan’s economy: Uzbek cotton
Central Asian food and colorful bazaars (with pics)
Who is really Islam Karimov? Psychological portrait of a leader (plus of his republic and of the post-Soviet space)
1991 Soviet referendum and Karimov’s role
Karimov and Putin
Karimov’s rift with the US and sanctions
Did Karimov die of natural causes?
Islam Karimov funeral and Russian PM Dmitry Medvedev signals
Lada Ray Predictions
Uncertainty and fears of color revolution and Islamist takeover – what to expect?
How Karimov’s death may effect the situation in Uzbekistan and Central Asia
Who will be next Uzbek president?
How Karimov’s death may effect the situation with Eurasian Union and relations with Russia?
Is the New Silk Road Project viable? Will Uzbek events affect it?
The problem with nationalism and Islamism
How Russians were expelled from Uzbekistan in 1990s
Why Russian language lost its 2nd state language status and what to expect in the future
Why today Uzbeks want to be brothers with Russia again
Is the reversal back towards USSR possible? Where to now?
Why is it so hard to build a nationalistic state in many former Soviet republics
Tamerlane: the problem with the absence of national heroes (parallels with Ukraine and Bandera)
Karimov’s daughter Gulnara, her business and presidential ambitions
Fifth Column and Probability of Uzbek Maidan
Probability of Islamic State
How Russia left Central Asia and how China moved in
The games of Central Asian elites – can they be trusted?
PREDICTIONS: My views on the issue of Chinese ‘takeover’ of Central Asia, Russia’s role, Silk Road & Eurasian Union
For desert: Lada Ray’s SPECTACULAR UZBEKISTAN PICTURE GUIDE!
COPYRIGHT September 5, 2016 LADA RAY, AUTHOR. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
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HEADS UP!
If you recall, I have reserved ESR10 and ESR11 for some very special reports!
As promised, EARTH SHIFT REPORT 10: THE CRIMEA FACTOR is coming soon!
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