President Bush met with President Nursultan Nazarbayev from Kazakhstan today, laying on the sweet talk. Some facts regarding Kazakhstan and our interests there:

NATO just took over military operations in Afghanistan. The U.S. has used the conflict in Afghanistan to warrant basing rights in Southeast Asian countries If things stabilize in Afghanistan, the U.S. military will have to come up with some new reason to maintain military bases in the region, and to keep basing rights.

Dick Cheney, while out of office, helped broker a deal between Chevron and Kazakhstan as a member of Kazakhstan’s Oil Advisory Board.

James Baker III had a hand in the negotiations. He is a member of the U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamer of Commerce’s advisory council, who’s members reads like a who’s who of the Republican party. Dick Cheney is a former member. In 1990 the council’s cochairman was Richard Armitage.

The press often referred to Condi Rice as “Chevron’s main expert on Kazakhstan” (while she was Chevron’s chief adviser)

CHINA, 2 DAYS AGO, APPROVED CONSTRUCTION OF PIPELINE THAT COULD RUN THROUGH KAZAKHSTAN

INTERNATIONAL OIL AND GAS EXPO WAS HELD TWO WEEKS AGO IN THE AREA

The “Cheney Report” suggested that proven oil reserves in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan are about 20 billion barrels, with values of between $3 trillion and $5 trillion.

More articles of interest here and here

Perhaps Bush and Cheney are looking out for their interests post political office!