Afghanistan Deployment: Supplies in Danger
Jon Boone | The Spectator | March 2009
Future strategy in Afghanistan is being debated more strongly than before: more money, more soldiers, stronger European involvement, and negotiations with moderate Taliban. But the allied troops on site have to solve completely different problems first: obtaining fresh supplies has recently become the Achilles' heel of the international troops in Afghanistan. More and more often Taliban forces attack supply convoys from Pakistan that are making their way through the difficult route over the Hindu Kush. The greatest amount of the food and fuel is being brought into the country through this route. In February 78 out of 81 representatives in the Kirgic Parliament voted for closing the US-airforce base Manas, the other important supply route. For this reason NATO is confronted with the question of how it can secure the future supply of its troops.
Above all fuel is becoming an ever scarcer commodity. Recently Dutch troops could no longer heat their tents properly. The British have shortened the time span of the stored fuel reserves from 30 to 10 days. With pressure high, NATO is now working on a strategy to solve this shortage. Tajikistan could play a key role in this situation. In the future, up to 200 containers with supplies should be transported from Uzbekistan via Tajikistan to Afghanistan on a weekly basis. Both countries had supported the Russians when they were fighting in Afghanistan in the 80s. Moreover, the US has built a 700 meter bridge over the border river Amu Darya between Afghanistan and Tajikistan, worth 37 million US dollars. But Tajikistan is everything but stable. Poverty, corruption and an army with very young soldiers, who have until recently worked on Moscow's construction sites, threaten political stability. By now the country is on the verge of collapse, a report by the International Crisis Group warns. Cynics predict a future for Tajikistan similar to that of Pakistan or Cambodia during the Vietnam War. And the Taliban will not remain passive. For example, they have apparently deployed 1000 fighters to sabotage supply routes from the North. Pictures like those from November 2008 showing rebellious Taliban in stolen American army vehicles in the Pakistani border region could be repeated in Tajikistan.
Until now the military actions of the allied troops have not been affected. But with the additional soldiers that US president Obama wants to send to the region, the need for supplies grows as well. However, there are few alternatives left besides Tajikistan. Negotiations with Tehran to provide the troops in the Southern Afghanistan with supplies via Iranian territory have so far remained unsuccessful. Reference to the Berlin Air Lift as a symbol for the West's ability to find a means to secure supplies, doesn't work in this case: Berlin only had to be supplied for 11 months through the air - the Afghanistan commitment, however, could last a generation.
This summary was prepared by the Atlantic Community editorial team from "Nato has serious supply problems in Afghanistan," published here by The Spectator, March 2009.
Thu, Apr 9th 2009, 12:16
Tanwir Amjad Malik
In the recent past, Terrorists have started to target the supplies to NATO forces, to gain their multiple goals. World shall stop saying every terrorist with beard, A Taliban. Lets call the Terrorists, who have no religion, cast or creed. They dont obey any social values and so they shall not be labelled taliban or Alqaida because, In the tribal belts of Pakistan, traditionally even, the anti social elements have some values and dignities.
World have to think over its supply and logistics plans by overhauling its strategies. We in Pakistan know very well the ground realities and We also know the people who are making hay by threatening NATO supplies.
We request the world, to come down to ground and contact those, who are among the masses, not those, who simply sit in cool drawing rooms and pose to the west, as they are sole decision makers. World is altogether different on ground in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and .... India too