Wednesday
Jan212009
Welcome to the World, Mr President: Afghanistan and Pakistan
Wednesday, January 21, 2009 at 8:53
Yesterday Barack Obama signalled the priority to take on the situation in Afghanistan with the US redoubling its commitment to Afghan "security". An escalation from 30,000 to 60,000 US troops by the end of summer is likely.
Today the challenge begins, as General David Petraeus, the head of the US military's Central Command, briefs Obama after meetings in Pakistan. The situation in Afghanistan cannot be separated from the turmoil in Pakistan, where "Pakistani Taliban" --- who are not, let's be clear, the same movement/organisation as Afghan Taliban --- have been blowing up schools and fighting Pakistani forces. (Meanwhile, Afghan militants carried out more suicide bombings over the last 48 hours.)
And already Petraeus and the US military have had to make a huge concession to the Pakistani and Afghan insurgencies, disguising this morning as a breakthrough "deal". Petraeus announced that agreements have been reached with Russia and other Central Asian countries to on supply routes to US forces in Afghanistan.
The US military has had to scramble for this arrangement because Pakistani insurgents have effectively closed the main supply route over the Khyber Pass, which moved 75 percent of supplies to US forces across the border, firing on convoys and repulsing the attempts of the Pakistani Army to restore convoy.
In another "victory", Petraeus secured the retention of another supply route via the US airbase in Kyrgyzstan, which had been under threat of closue by the Kirghiz Government.
Today the challenge begins, as General David Petraeus, the head of the US military's Central Command, briefs Obama after meetings in Pakistan. The situation in Afghanistan cannot be separated from the turmoil in Pakistan, where "Pakistani Taliban" --- who are not, let's be clear, the same movement/organisation as Afghan Taliban --- have been blowing up schools and fighting Pakistani forces. (Meanwhile, Afghan militants carried out more suicide bombings over the last 48 hours.)
And already Petraeus and the US military have had to make a huge concession to the Pakistani and Afghan insurgencies, disguising this morning as a breakthrough "deal". Petraeus announced that agreements have been reached with Russia and other Central Asian countries to on supply routes to US forces in Afghanistan.
The US military has had to scramble for this arrangement because Pakistani insurgents have effectively closed the main supply route over the Khyber Pass, which moved 75 percent of supplies to US forces across the border, firing on convoys and repulsing the attempts of the Pakistani Army to restore convoy.
In another "victory", Petraeus secured the retention of another supply route via the US airbase in Kyrgyzstan, which had been under threat of closue by the Kirghiz Government.