Sean-Paul Kelley | San Antonio | March 27

If you are like me, some kind of visual confirmation is usually necessary to help solidify an idea you have read about. Well, I have one for you.

I screen-capped an image from this story below.

Join me after the jump and we'll talk more.

Now, if you look very carefully at this photo you will notice a few different types of headwear.

Circled in red is the tradition headwear of an Uzbek male. Cirlced in green is the traditional headgear of a Kyrgyz male. Sorry about the quality. Photoshopping is not my best talent! I've also included two photos of an Kyrgyz man (no beard) and an Uzbek man (with beard) for a better comparison.

In the WaPo photo they are about 50/50. But if you look closely you'll see a lot of veiled women.

Now, veiled women are extremely uncommon in Bishkek, the capitol. And, they are virtually non-existent in the mountains and the high pastures where the nomads live.

This photo exemplifies the point I was trying to make about Osh (and Jalalabad) being potential trouble spots. The mixing of ethnicities here is almost toxic. And the culture is very traditional and very Islamic.

"Why is headwear important," you ask? Well, it is another one of those ways that humans define themselves versus "the other." And I felt it was important to point out in the context of the Kyrgyz revolution that began in Osh and Jalalabad. Nathan has talked of the importance of hats as well.

And in this photo you can see it for yourself to a great degree.

Photos screen-capped and linked to under fair use rules in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, and are strictly for the educational and informative purposes of our readers.