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| Afghanistan |
| Avoiding Pakistan, New Supply Route to Afghanistan Opens |
| 2009-03-04 |
| A new route to take cargo to American and NATO forces in Afghanistan has opened, American officials said Tuesday, providing an alternative to the primary supply route — through the troubled border with Pakistan — as it comes increasingly under threat. Some of the cargo, which is made up of commercial goods, was rolling by rail through Russian territory on Tuesday, said Capt. Kevin Aandahl, the spokesman for United States Transportation Command. The cargo enters Europe at the port cities of Riga, Latvia, and Poti, Georgia. For now, the cargo will enter Afghanistan from Uzbekistan, but some is expected to travel through neighboring Tajikistan in the future, said Western diplomatic officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity, following normal diplomatic protocol. As the United States begins increasing its war effort in landlocked Afghanistan and the security in Pakistan deteriorates, the issue of supply lines has become crucial. Bagram Air Base, the main hub for forces in Afghanistan, moved over 50 percent more cargo and people in January than in the same period in 2008, the military said. But the new route is complex, covering a diverse set of countries, some of which dislike one another and few of which have first-class infrastructure. It will also not be a replacement for Pakistan, which currently allows the shipment of between 2,000 and 3,000 containers a month into Afghanistan. The new route is expected to handle about 500, Captain Aandahl said, and the shipments will include nonlethal goods like food, water and construction materials. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #5 is Pakistains AID gonna get cut off now? |
| Posted by: rabid whitetail 2009-03-04 14:57 |
| #4 There is no civil government in Pakistan. People who don't understand that don't understand Pakistan. There is the military/ISI sponsored and tolerated civilians who maintain the fiction of a civilian government. On the other side is the Taliban and their allies. Both sides agree more than disagree. They all believe in Islam, sharia, and the 'Land of the Pure'. They believe that the Juice and the Hindooz are their mortal enemies. Both sets of leaders believe that the country should work for them. Their disagreements are simple: they disagree on how much sharia and how quickly, they disagree on whether they should keep taking the money from gullible westerners, and they disagree on exactly who should wear the bejeweled turban and golden slippers. That's about it. |
| Posted by: Steve White 2009-03-04 14:44 |
| #3 3dc, have you looked at the road net from western China into Afghanistan and the ex-Soviet 'stans? It's not literally non-existent, but there's not much of anything out there. It makes the Caucasus look like the Baltimore Beltway. I can't find a single goddamn road directly from China to Afghanistan on the maps. |
| Posted by: Mitch H. 2009-03-04 14:31 |
| #2 I feel for the civil govt in Pakistan(Lame ducks) as their military/ISI are calling the shots!!!! You could get the most pro western civil govt but will make no difference until the Mighty Pak army are crushed!!! |
| Posted by: Paul2 2009-03-04 12:32 |
| #1 It might be worth inviting China to join NATO in Afghanistan - Stuff could then transit China too. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2009-03-04 12:29 |