This essay, written by an American journalism teacher who spent some time in Central Asia, is quite cute.

"If Uzbekistan invaded Kyrgyzstan to annex the Kyrgyz part of the Fergana Valley, what would you want the United States to do?"...

"You must defend us," they said.

"But we can't," I responded. "That would be meddling."

"Oh, no, it would be different if the Uzbeks invaded. You wouldn't be meddling. You would be defending us."

I especially liked the glowering "key lady" at the beginning.

Via The Way of the Intercepting Fisk.