US and Pakistan enter the danger zone

[FarCenter]

...

The closure of the US-NATO transit routes through Pakistan territory may not immediately affect the coalition forces in Afghanistan, as it has built up reserve stocks that could last several weeks. But the depletion of the reserves would cause anxiety if the Pakistani embargo is prolonged, which cannot be ruled out.

Therefore, the Pakistani move is going to affect the NATO operations in Afghanistan, since around half the supplies for US-NATO troops still go via Pakistan. An alternative for the US and NATO will be to rely more on the transit routes of the Northern Distribution Network . But the US and NATO's dependence on the NDN always carried a political price tag - Russia's cooperation.

Moscow is agitated about the US regional policies. The NATO intervention in Libya caused friction, which deepened the Russian angst over the US's perceived lack of seriousness to regard it as equal partner and its cherry-picking or "selective partnership". Then, there are other specific issues that agitate Moscow: US's push for "regime change" in Syria, the US and NATO appearance in the Black Sea region, continued deployment of US missile defense system, and the push for US military bases in Afghanistan. In addition, Moscow has already begun circling wagons over the US "New Silk Road" initiative and its thrust into Central Asia.

The future of the US-Russia reset remains uncertain. Washington barely disguises its visceral dislike of the prospect of Vladimir Putin's return to the Kremlin following the presidential election in March next year. Short of bravado, the US and NATO should not brag that they have the NDN option up their sleeve in lieu of the Pakistani transit routes. The Pakistani military knows this, too.

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/MK29Df02.html

[dtexdem]

1. "Enter"?

Don't you mean digging the hole deeper in the danger zone?

[FarCenter]

2. So far, Pakistan and Russia have cooperated with logistics

They are sure to exact a higher price for cooperation now.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. More FUBAR in a lost war that's still being fought to save face.

It's just soooo hard for a politician to say "We lost."

[PufPuf23]

4. The Afghanistan "surge" and Obama drone program sure have been swell policies.

Our troops in Afghanistan are landlocked sitting ducks now.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\11\26\story_26-11-2011_pg1_3

No dictation, please!

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan rejected on Friday the suggestion of US Ambassador Cameron Munter that the Pak-Iran gas pipeline project was not in its interest. Talking to the media, Information Minister Firdaus Ashiq Awan said that Pakistan would not take dictation from any one on the project and would do whatever was in the interest of the country. She said that that Iran and Pakistan were neighbours and that the two countries had been involved in trade and enjoyed economic relations to their mutual advantage. About the Turkmenistan gas pipeline project, she said that there had been significant progress on it during the visit of the Turkmenistan president to Pakistan.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\11\26\story_26-11-2011_pg1_2

Don’t take gas from Iran, US ‘advises’ Pakistan
* Munter says Pakistan vital for Afghan peace

LAHORE: US Ambassador to Pakistan Cameron Munter on Friday said that Iran was not reliable and making a pipeline deal with that country was a bad idea.

The ambassador was talking to the media after delivering a policy speech at The Ambassadors’ Forum of the Lahore University of Management Sciences on Friday. To a question about his meetings with ISI DG Ahmed Shuja Pasha and PTI chief Imran Khan, Munter made it clear that he had formal meetings with them but never met them together. On the memo issue, he said that Pakistani authorities would have to decide how to handle the matter and the modalities for any investigation into the issue. “We welcome Sherry Rehman who has replaced Husain Haqqani and hope that Pak-US ties will be further strengthened,” he added. “We’ll be as helpful as we can in any way if we’re asked,” he said.

He said that the US knew that Pakistan could be helpful in maintaining peace in Afghanistan. The US supported trilateral talks and meetings like in Istanbul, he said, adding that Pakistan’s cooperation in the war on terror was vital for the security of both Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Earlier delivering a speech, the ambassador said that the US wanted a strong Pakistan and Pakistan’s success was America’s success. “We are very much in support of the democratic process here, we support your constitution, we support the rule of law, we support the will of the Pakistani people,” he said.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?date=11/28/2011


Pakistan buries troops as rage spreads

* Thousands of enraged Pakistanis take to streets across country, burning an effigy of Obama and setting fire to US, NATO flags

* Kayani attends troops’ funeral prayer in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: Pakistan on Sunday buried 24 troops killed in a NATO cross-border air attack that has pushed a crisis in relations between the United States...

[lib2DaBone]

5. How is the CIA going to bomb their way out of this one?

Not to mention our troops cut off with no supplies... just friggin great.

I'm sure Mr. Obama will find a way to do whatever the Republicans tell him to do.