Afghanistan troop surge could backfire, experts warn

[davidbfpo]

This interesting article: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JH12Df02.html refers to

KARACHI - The Taliban and al-Qaeda have with some success squeezed the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO's)supply lines that run through Pakistan into Afghanistan, especially goods in transit in Khyber Agency on the border. Now, according to Asia Times Online contacts, the target area is being shifted to the southern port city of Karachi, where almost 90% of NATO's shipments land, including vital oil. From this teeming financial center, 80% of the goods go to Torkham in Khyber Agency on their way to the Afghan capital of Kabul. About 10% go to Chaman, then on to the northern Afghan city of Kandahar. The remaining NATO supplies arrive in Afghanistan by air and other routes.

I recall sometime ago that some NATO allies rely on supplies via Iran and this was taken to explain their reluctance over the US policy on Iran.

davidbfpo

[Render]

http://www.longwarjournal.org/archiv...loses_tork.php

"Pakistan closed the Torkham border crossing in the Khyber tribal agency. The road through the Khyber Pass is NATO's primary supply line into Afghanistan."

===

As I said on Bill's blog...

Houston, we now have a problem.

NEED A
BIGGER
BOAT,
R

[reed11b]

What sort of tough line is available for the U.S. with Pakistan? They seem to be a major problem, rather than an asset in Afghanistan, as many predicted. Could require the loss of their nuclear capacity for any future funds? They wont go for it, but maybe they would back off from their tough guy stance on allowing U.S. troops to work in their border areas to gain some breathing room?
Reed