After Uzbekistan’s latest strike in the war on terror, the massacre of hundreds of civilians by the Uzbek army, it’s becoming more apparent that western relations with Islam Karimov’s regime have followed an all too familiar path. In return for almost complete silence about human rights abuses and big piles of cash the Uzbeks are hosts to not one but two western airbases, belonging to the US and Germany. Though the US one is probably closed by the time you read this. Don’t worry though, the UK government is acting responsibly and just training the Uzbek army for them. The army that has received $120m from the US. Which compliments the $80m given for security forces.

Perhaps the most heinous aspect of the west’s relationship with Uzbekistan is the CIA’s use of the country as a torture destination for people rounded up elsewhere in the theatre of the War on Terror. Once there prisoners can expect any kind of fate, up to and including being boiled to death, as one man was in 2004.

Some commentators took the opportunity to predict Karimov’s downfall following the events in May. But while our governments in the west all call for independent investigations at the same time as handing over the cash and while he still has powerful friends in Russia and China, it seems he will remain comfortable enough.

Oh, and his daughter’s a madam.