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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| US team to discuss border fencing with Pakistan |
| 2005-09-27 |
| A three-member team from the United States will discuss the erection of a fence along the Pak-Afghan border. Pakistan's US-based Ambassador Jehangir Karamat would accompany the US team. Congressman Mark Wood will led the American team. Daily Times reported in its Monday issue that the team would meet the Peshawar corps commander and other officials to discuss the option of erection of a fence along the porous border. When contacted, the director-general of Inter-Services Public Relations, Major General Shaukat Sultan told IRNA that he had no knowledge of any visit by a US team. "At the moment, I have no knowledge of any US delegation visiting Pakistan. I am sorry," the spokesman of the armed forces maintained. Similarly, Foreign Office Spokesman Naeem Khan was not available for comments on the possible visit. President of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf floated the proposal during his recent visit to the United States. He believes that in this way the allegations of cross-border movements could be put to an end. Kabul reportedly welcomed the proposal and promised to look into it, insisting that demarcation of the border must be done prior to erection of a fence. Pakistan and Afghanistan share a 2400-kilometer-long rugged and porous border. Pakistan has been denying accusations it is letting unwanted elements cross into Afghanistan to carry out attacks. Islamabad has stationed some 70,000 security forces along the border and beefed up security with the deployment of another 10,000 in the wake of the recent parliamentary elections in Afghanistan. |
| Posted by:Oztralian [AKA] God Save The World |
| #9 Afghanistan would oppose this fencing since there is no border. The expiry of the Durand line treaty means that Pak is in occupation of what was historically Afghan territory. |
| Posted by: john 2005-09-27 17:17 |
| #8 Any bangalore torpedo would attract so much attention that it would defeat the purpose. This border has outposts on much of the high terrain, and the mountains themselves are obscenely difficult to cross. About the only way through are on small goat trails, passes and draws. So it is not unreasonable to assume that the passable routes are very limited indeed. Note the major bridges on this map, and the terrain: http://tinyurl.com/dgrjb Remember also, that the purpose of this fence is not to utterly stop entry and exit from the country. It is to greatly slow down transfer, and to severely inhibit arms flow across the border. This is why a single solution won't do. There is just too much variation. However, as I said before, much of the border could really be made impassable with stacked concertina wire. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-09-27 14:15 |
| #7 Of this, really inexpensive fencing like concertina wire would do for the bulk. Ten stacked rolls of concertina would be almost impassable to all but the most determined, would take them several dangerous hours to penetrate, and would be very obvious if tampered with. Even those who could cross it could not bring any serious amount of equipment or supplies with them. Moose, a riddle inside a mystery wrapped in an enigma. ;) /and I can find the refrigerator in the pitch black dead of night. |
| Posted by: Sapper Dog 2005-09-27 13:45 |
| #6 Libhawk, no fair -- I wasn't expecting that! Does bring back memories, though. :-D |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2005-09-27 13:15 |
| #5 An "impenetrable" wall of concertina wire can be cut in seconds with a Bangalore torpedo. In other words, a wall of concertian wire has no value if you don't have troops at a reasonable distance. |
| Posted by: JFM 2005-09-27 11:19 |
| #4 Remember that in a region as mountainous as that, where the only major route is the Khyber pass, fencing only needs to be sporadic, to cover the blind spots between outposts. Out of a 1400-mile border, perhaps 100 miles would need fencing. Of this, really inexpensive fencing like concertina wire would do for the bulk. Ten stacked rolls of concertina would be almost impassable to all but the most determined, would take them several dangerous hours to penetrate, and would be very obvious if tampered with. Even those who could cross it could not bring any serious amount of equipment or supplies with them. It proved very effective against the Viet Cong. Such fencing could for the most part be installed in under a month. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2005-09-27 10:48 |
| #3 ..along the Mexican border,.. Not even. |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2005-09-27 10:38 |
| #2 advance, advance, LUNGE. Retreat, retreat. Parry, LUNGE. Retreat. Advance, Advance, parry LUNGE. Your fencing is completed, gentlemen, take a break. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2005-09-27 09:41 |
| #1 Fencing in Israel, along the Mexican border, and now in Pakland. Time to invest in fencing futures. One each Halliburton Fencing and Storm Door Division coming right up! |
| Posted by: Elmereng Pheating4146 2005-09-27 09:13 |