The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan) has called on the United States to set a date when they will withdraw their bases from the region. Russia and China, which dominate the organization, believe American influence is threatening the dictators who dominate the governments of Central Asia. These despots are considered, at least by Russia and China, easier to deal with than democratically elected governments. China is still a communist dictatorship, while Russia is ruled by an elected, but very authoritarian, government.
