MSR Afghan I - - Danger.

This is coolbert:

"lieutenants think tactics, generals think logistics!!"

From the Chicago Tribune Monday:

"NEWS FOCUS"

"Destination: Afghanistan"

"Seeking safe supply routes"

Three times as many troops in Afghan NOW as were in 2003. The Obama administration is planning, right now, as we speak, to double [??] the number of U.S. troops in Afghan. An Iraqi-style surge to combat the rising power of the Taliban. If the supply situation to Afghan is worrisome to U.S. commanders now, how much more so will it be in a year or so??!!

Here, thanks to the Tribune, a listing of supply routes currently available to U.S./NATO forces in Afghan. The Khyber Pass route currently providing about seventy percent of the supplies needed by those fighting the Taliban.

1. PAKISTAN. Torkham/Khyber Pass: “about 75 % of non-sensitive goods bound for U.S. troops and a smaller but still significant percentage bound for NATO troops pass through the Khyber Pass, chiefly because of its relative ease and because it’s the shortest route to Kabul . . . Still, an average of 125 truckloads of goods pass through this checkpoint every day."

2. PAKISTAN. Chaman/Spin Boldak: "This border crossing is much closer to the Karachi port than Torkham . . . [but] is considered too risky to send more traffic through this route."

3. PAKISTAN. Ghulam Khan: “it is in the militant stronghold of the North Waziristan tribal agency, and no one is really using it."

4. UZBEKISTAN. Jeyretan, Balkh province: "This checkpoint borders a railway in Uzbekistan and is the largest supply route so far in the north . . . [is] run by an authoritative regime accused of repression, has agreed to allow U.S. supplies to move . . . only if relations improve with the U.S."

RELATIONS IMPROVE. THEY WANT MONEY! THEY WANT MONEY! PRESENTS!

5. TURKMENISTAN. Towraghondi, Herat province: "This is the more sophisticated transit route in Turkmenistan, but it is a long way and hundreds of miles of bad road from Kabul and Bagram."

6. TURKMENISTAN. Andkhoy: "Not many goods move through this checkpoint yet because the infrastructure is still poor."

7. TAJIKSTAN. Qezel Qala: "Poor infrastructure limits the amount of goods passing."

8. IRAN. Islam Qala, Heart province: “this border checkpoint could be the smartest alternative . . . not many goods and none of the military good move through any Iranian routes”

Russia - - Iran - - tribal areas - - poor infrastructure - - a long way - - poor roads - - too risky, etc!!

American military commanders are dependent upon and operate at the sufferance of the Russians, despotic and unstable regimes, and perhaps even governments [Iran] hostile to the U.S.?? What is all this? Petraeus must be biting his nails with worry. If he is not in the bad habit of doing so already, he will be doing do shortly?

At least in Vietnam there was Cam Ranh Bay and an outlet to the sea. The U.S. Navy could come to the rescue if need be! Afghan is totally land-locked, no access to the sea, and surrounded by nations either luke warm or downright unfriendly to the U.S.

coolbert.