William Shingleton, "Uzbeks and Islam," (Letter to the Editor) The Economist 25 September 1999:
SIR-Your article on the hostage crisis in the Fergana Valley ("A New Holy War?" September 4th) accepts too easily the claims of the Islamists and Uzbekistan's government. The threat posed by Juma Namangani and other Islamic radicals is more one of terror than of revolution.
Indeed, recent events give a lie to your assertion that Uzbek forces cannot handle Mr Namangani's militants. The current cycle of crisis started when Uzbek forces repelled the radicals after they attempted to cross into Uzbekistan. Mr Namangani's men were forced to flee to Kirgizstan, where they took several high-profile hostages in an attempt to salvage their operation.
More generally, the people of Uzbekistan seem unlikely candidates to support an Islamic revolution. You are right that corruption is rampant and economic growth scarce in the region. However, having just returned from Uzbekistan, I can attest that the vast majority of the population is terrified that the Islamists want to establish a Taliban-like regime. They prefer the devil they know, Islam Karimov, to the devil they do not, Islamic radicalism.