Posted on 02/23/2012 3:58:02 PM PST by U-238
If Pakistani leaders don’t open the military supply lines to Afghanistan in time for the U.S. military to withdraw in earnest, the cost of the pullout could grow four or even five times, a top Army commander said here Wednesday.
As of Wednesday, the Pakistani supply routes for American forces into Afghanistan had been closed for 89 days. With no resumption in sight for normal supply lines, Army leaders are coming to grips with the startling reality the U.S. military might not have access to Pakistan’s ports to haul out the massive infrastructure it has built up in Afghanistan.
The Army is now testing whether soldiers and contractors can drive out the countless metal containers on a route called the Northern Distribution Network, that winds through the countries north of Afghanistan. If they must rely only on that route and air transport, it could as much as quintuple the cost, said Maj. Gen. Kevin Leonard, the head of Military Surface Deployment and Distribution Command.
Pakistan closed the border to NATO in November after an air strike by a U.S. drone accidentally killed 24 Pakistani soldiers. The U.S. had enlisted a team of contractors driving what are called Jingo trucks through the Pakistan and Afghan mountains from Pakistan’s ports packed with military supplies.
(Excerpt) Read more at military.com ...
Great return on our billions in foreign aid...
We could zero out aid to Pakistan for the rest of eternity. And levy 100% tariffs on Pakistani imports. That would help.
Send them the bill.
Nuke these turkeys now
Duplicitous Pakistan has played fast and loose with our enemies for too long - this silliness has gone on long enough
We don’t even have to do anything, just back India and let them do it - they’ll be happy to, after the Bombay attacks ...
Pakistan has turned into a vassal state of China. Time to write them off. Take our business to India.
We could, but we won't. Obama, if it is Obama, can be counted upon to handle this in the most expensive, most wasteful and most humbling manner for the USA.
We could exit by way of Waziristan.
That may not go over to well in the other Islamic countries including in Moscow or Beijing.
In any case, we already know the nature of the relationship. We’re just haggling about price now.
That there is “Indian Country”. Its bad enough that drivers are being shot at in Pakistan.
You are right. Its is a matter about price and how much technology they are going to get from the U.S.
Why set them for airburst ? Overlap the craters, all the way to the sea, and make it a canal. . . .and then use the Navy to move the gear...
Pakistan is not a friend.
We should put them on notice we will support effective dismemberment of their country into its ethnic/tribal/religious factions, and offer to give India a free hand over the whole region.
We needed Pakistan as a “buffer” against the Soviet Union during the Cold War and as a base to launch operations into the Soviet Union. Those days are long gone. Pakistan has decided that they are going to work with the Chinese for a free hand in Central Asia.
Pakistan has already milked the US for what its worth. Pakistan doesnt sell much to US except for a few T-shirts, socks and soccer balls.
Pakistan exported $3.8b worth of goods stateside in 2011. At 2% of its GDP, it's not huge but also more than a rounding error. A 100% tariff would probably raise a few hundred million a year. Again, not much, but not zero.
US exported $2 billion dollars worth of good to Pakistan in the same year. Take into account that you will be losing that money and Pakistan will be saving that money.
As for the 100% tariff, you will be raising it not from Pakistan but your own consumers. Pakistan will be selling the item at the same price, only US consumers will be paying extra tariffs to the government. That may not go well with US consumers. Sorry but your plan is still bust.
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