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| Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia |
| Logistics and the Afghan Endgame |
| 2012-04-17 |
| The United States and its allies have undertaken a sustained effort since 2008 to develop sea, ground, and air transportation routes to Afghanistan's north, through the territories of the former Soviet Union. This so-called Northern Distribution Network (NDN) now conveys large quantities of non-lethal supplies from Europe to the NATO troops in Afghanistan through Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia. There are three different transport routes comprising the NDN that are available to the United States: one leaves Riga and crosses Russia, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan; the second traverses the Caucuses, passing through Georgia and Azerbaijan before crossing the Caspian Sea and then rolling across Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan; the third route option goes from Riga to Kazakhstan, then through Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. About 70 percent of cargo transiting the NDN enters through Uzbekistan's Hairaton Gate, explaining the increased importance of Uzbekistan in coalition thinking ("Central Asia and the Transition in Afghanistan," Senate Foreign Relations Committee Majority Staff Report, December 19, 2011). But what is often overlooked is that a full 100 percent of goods traveling along the NDN passes through Kazakhstan. All the cargo through each itinerary passes through Kazakhstan in some capacity, by boat, train or road. This is not true of any other country participating in the NDN, yet Kazakhstan's pivotal role in the NDN, which began in January 2010 (EDM, February 24, 2010), draws little attention since working with Astana generates less controversy than cooperating with some of the other governments along the NDN. |
| Posted by:Water Modem |