King of the Khyber Rifles.

This is coolbert:

This is all very alarming!

"Russian threat to Nato supply route in Afghanistan"

From The Times August 26, 2008.

An agreement - - between Russia and NATO, vital to the NATO effort in Afghanistan, is going to come unhinged? All as a result of "western" disapproval over the conflict between Russian and Georgia.

"Russia played a trump card in its strategic poker game with the West yesterday by threatening to suspend an agreement allowing Nato to take supplies and equipment to Afghanistan through Russia and Central Asia."

"The agreement was struck at a Nato summit in April [agreed upon in 2007 and only implemented this year?] to provide an alternative supply route to the road between the Afghan capital and the Pakistani border, which has come under attack from militants on both sides of the frontier this year."

"the Taleban have been targeting the supply routes of the alliance this year . . . Nato imports about 70 per cent of its food, fuel, water and equipment from Pakistan via the Khyber Pass, and flies in much of the rest through Russian airspace via bases in Central Asia. "

The Taliban have been attacking the Main Supply Route [MSR] from Karachi, through the Khyber Pass, to Kabul. This HAS BEEN AN ON-GOING THREAT, AND HAS NOW MATERIALIZED, JUST AS I FEARED!!

The villains have gotten it into their head that this is a do-able strategy that can reap great rewards. The single MSR supplies currently 70 % of the re-supply for NATO forces in Afghan. If that life-line is cut or severely interrupted, NATO is in deep doo-doo [skat/merde'/etc.]!

Attacks on the MSR have already included:

* "one [attack] that destroyed 36 fuel tankers"
* "Four US helicopter engines worth $13 million (£7 million) went missing [pilfered]"
* "militants killed ten French soldiers on the same route"

See my previous blog entry on the Khyber Pass. The road, and the narrow-gauge [?] rail link from Pakistan to Kabul must be kept open. Cannot be jeopardized even slightly. NATO forces would have to face the consequences if this life-line is cut. Mission in Afghan would rapidly become untenable. American and allied forces would have beat feet, and quick.

But how? And to where? Contingency plans are on the table and being constantly reviewed!!

coolbert.