rssAfghanistan Supply Base May Defect to Russia
Tuesday, February 03, 2009 at 5:59 pm
- 30 Comments
Planes at Manas Air Base after returning from refueling operations over Afghanistan (manas.afcent.af.mil)
The U.S. might lose access to a crucial hub for supporting the war in Afghanistan.
On Tuesday, Russian news sources quoted Kyrgyzstan President Kurmanbek Bakiyev as saying that he had decided to cancel U.S. access to the Manas Air Base, one of two regional air hubs for resupplying U.S. troops in Afghanistan used since the war began in 2001. The United States had lost the other, a base in Uzbekistan called Karshi Khanabad, in 2005 after the Bush administration criticized the Uzbek regime for human rights abuses. As a result, the U.S.’s reliance on Manas has increased to the point where it has become the “primary logistics hub” for the Afghanistan war, providing a staging ground for both troops and materiel, as Air Force Col. Randy Kee, the commander of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing, told journalist Nathan Hodge in 2005.
Illustration by: Matt Mahurin
That may come to an end. “Literally just days ago, the Kyrgyz government made the decision on ending the term for the American base on the territory of Kyrgyzstan,” President Bakiyev told Russian state television during a Tuesday visit to Moscow. The Russian government agreed on Tuesday to provide Kyrgyzstan with a $2 billion loan package, plus $150 million in direct aid — apparently part of a long-standing effort to dislodge the United States from an area it considers within its sphere of influence. By contrast, the United States pays Kyrgyzstan about $60 million annually for use of Manas.
Manas is home to a “24-hour operation” supporting the Afghanistan war, said Vikram Singh, a South Asia expert at the Center for a New American Security who served in the Pentagon during the Bush administration, hosting fuel tankers, cargo and attack aircraft and medical evacuation resources, among other materiel. “This is not a small operation,” he said, adding that the loss of Manas could lead to a reduction in the tempo of military operations. “There’s no way to quantify it, but if you’re a commander on the ground, you’ve got to think that there are several things that aren’t available to you.”
Anthony Bowyer, director of the Central Asia program at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, a nongovernmental organization focusing on strengthening democratic governance, called the possible loss of the base a “diplomatic victory” for the Russians. “There was tremendous political pressure on President Bakiyev by the Russian Federation” to kick the United States out of Manas, as the Russians are wary of long-term U.S. intentions to host large numbers of NATO troops near its southern border.
Just two weeks ago, the commander of all U.S. forces in the Middle East and South Asia, Army Gen. David Petraeus, visited Kyrgyzstan and told reporters that the U.S. would retain the base. “The highest-ranking official I met with gave his assurances that the issue of Manas was not raised during his discussions in Russia about possible economic cooperation and assistance,” Petraeus said on Jan. 19.
At the Pentagon, spokesman Geoff Morrell told reporters that the United States was still in negotiations to retain the base. “It is a hugely important air base for us,” Morrell said. “It provides us with a launching-off point to provide supplies to our forces in Afghanistan.” He would not comment on whether the United States would consider Russia’s efforts to dislodge it from Manas to be a hostile action.
The issue of logistics resupply has proven to be a difficult one for U.S. troops in Afghanistan, a country characterized by mountainous terrain and few paved roads. Land-based supply routes for U.S. and NATO troops that run through Pakistan have come under increasing attack in recent months. On Tuesday, Taliban guerillas destroyed an important bridge through the Kyber Pass between Afghanistan and Pakistan used to resupply NATO forces.
Another Pentagon spokesman, Lt. Col. Mark Wright, said the State Department had not informed the Pentagon of any changes in status to U.S. access to Manas and appeared to downplay the prospect of its loss. “We have multiple supply routes, both air and ground” to resupply U.S. troops in Afghanistan, Wright said. “It’s important not to put your eggs in one basket.” He said he would not “give specifics” on the amount of supplies moving through Manas or if there were alternative air supply routes that could handle a comparable load. Bowyer noted that Petraeus’s recent trip through Central Asia had also taken him to Tajikistan, raising that neighbor of Afghanistan as a prospective alternative to Manas.
A State Dept. spokesman, Rob McInturff, said that the agency “has not received formal notification to close the base directly from the [Kyrgyz] government.” McInturff confirmed that U.S. diplomats will “continue to discuss the base with the authorities” in the central Asian country, but said there were no efforts as yet to dispatch any additional U.S. senior officials to underscore the importance of keeping the base. He said that the Pentagon was “very highly involved” in the “ongoing discussions.”
John Pike, a defense expert with Globalsecurity.org, a military analysis organization, said that it was conceivable that Tajikistan’s numerous Soviet-era airbases could be alternatives to Manas. “The challenge is the politics,” he said, noting that the Russian invasion of Georgia this summer — a country that Moscow feared had drifted too far out of its sphere of influence — would make former Soviet republics “tred carefully” before signing deals to host U.S. military supplies.
Additionally, Singh noted that it wouldn’t be as simple as picking up from Manas and moving elsewhere. “There are lots of places that technically could” host U.S. forces, he said, but “there’s been substantial investment into upgrading [Manas] so it can support” the U.S. mission in Afghanistan. “It’s not just like saying, ‘Thanks — Dushanbe, we’re ready to go,’” referring to the capitol of Tajikistan.
“What this shows is how precarious it is running military operations in a landlocked country” like Afghanistan, Singh said.
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30 Comments
Comment posted February 3, 2009 @ 7:05 pm
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Comment posted February 8, 2009 @ 9:52 am
The US to pursue of missile shield and The Start of the New Cold Wars
The new US Administrations’ are going to start new cold wars if they are going to adopt the old policy of the USA. The policy of the US to pursue missile shield will push the Russian much closer to the alliance with Iran and other Islamic countries in Middle East and greater Asia. For Russian to commit suicide by supporting their future enemies; should be blamed on the EU whom was not able to bring Russian in as partner of the civilized world. The Russian under Mr. Putin’s could be persuaded if the US Government assuring the Russian of true partnerships likes UK, France, Germany and other EU nations. These options are more beneficial than cold wars and animosity with the Russians.
The Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI) will acquire the Atomic Bomb soon with the help of Russians and other greedy people around the world. The outcomes of this cold war are not going to be successful like the last one. The US Government and EU are not having the monopoly to control the economy of the world and they are facing semi democratic system in Russia, “Muslim World” and China.
The Russian are going to pay for the mistakes if they are going to follow through supporting IRI. They are going to lose more territory and have enemy next door from them. They are going to lose more than the USA and EU in the regions.
The world are hungry for peace and rebuilding economy, environments cleaning, commerce and cooperation’s instead of revenge taking and preparing for wars against each others.
We are calling on the US Government to treat us Iranian like they treated Western Europe after World War II. We want to over through the IRI peacefully and establish the rule of law and freedom within our country Iran first. We want help to establish “Economic Union” with the independent for each nation within that “Economic Union”. The establishment of the “Economic Union” from Pakistan to Turkey and from Kurdistan to former Soviet Union countries should be the policy of the new US government in the Middle East and greater Asia. This policy will defeat extremist like IRI and terrorist organizations in our region.
The Arabs already has such a union. The Us Government should help the Arab countries to reform their own system of Government in favor of the Arab people. The Arab people do need democratic system like Kuwait for example to be part of the Government.
The next step the US Government should go through the Arab Union to make permanent peace between the Arabs and Israel.
We are hoping for the overhaul of the US Government foreign policy in our regions and the world. For the USA Treat other nations right like you are treating the EU people are the best way for the success of the USA people around the world.
Sincerely,
Jaff Sassani
From the SKDC
jaff.skdc@googlemail.com
http://www.jaff-sassanie.com/ShowContent.aspx?i…
Comment posted April 3, 2009 @ 11:19 am
Perhaps he meant that Arab people liked to determine themselves what was the best way for their own system. And they seem not to have requested for the assistance.
Comment posted April 3, 2009 @ 6:19 pm
Perhaps he meant that Arab people liked to determine themselves what was the best way for their own system. And they seem not to have requested for the assistance.
Comment posted August 30, 2009 @ 12:35 am
MILESTONES OR MORE GRAVESTONES?
(LIAM HANLEY) Setting off from Brize Norton earlier that day, news had come through of a grim milestone – the number of British deaths in Afghanistan since the war began in (2001) had now passed the 200 mark. (Liam Hanley is assistant editor on (BBC) British Broadcasting Company Program (5 live Drive) (http://www.BBC.Co.UK.))
(RETIRED NATO COMMANDER) After retiring as (NATO) The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, commander in (2007), Jones became co-chairman of the Atlantic Council, a Washington think tank. In (2008), the council issued a report that began, “Make no mistake, the international community is not winning in Afghanistan.”
(TRIATHLON) We can not gage the milestones being passed as they are not being place for viewing we only know what has been reported and that has been little to nothing we know that (2) two nations of the British Common Wealth of Nations, England and Canada have lost over (500+) Five-Hundred Plus troops and the (U.S. Empire) no longer reports the number of its troops lost. The (KIA) Killed in Action numbers are not known, and the political will to continue seems to be weakening with the majority of involved States, and meanwhile the reluctant (NATO) North Atlantic Treaty Organization, coalition is losing interest with participating nations declaring dates on which they intend to leave.
AUSTRALIA: (1,070) (KIA/UNK) (Southern Afghanistan) are fighting along side of Denmark/Netherlands troops on their own in an increasingly violent battle.”
BELGIUM: (535-565) (KIA/UNK) said it will add between (35 -65) Thirty-five to Sixth-five military trainers to a force of (500) Five-Hundred, and send (2) two more (F-16) jet fighters, bringing the total number it has sent to (6) six.
CANADA: (KIA. 300+) With the support in Canada of the (Af-Pak) Blood for Oil War, at about (35%) Thirty-Five Percent, with support decreasing monthly,Canada is considering withdrawal
DENMARK/NETHERLANDS: (1,650) (KIA/UNK) (Southern Afghanistan) are fighting along side of Australian troops on their own in an increasingly violent battle, Denmark Considering Withdrawal.
FRANCE: (1,515) (KIA/UNK) (Kabul) Declined the request for additional troops, President Sarkozy France would not be sending reinforcements to bolster its existing force northeast of Kabul, but was “ready to do more” in the field of police training and economic aid.
GERMANY: (3,500) (KIA 12+) (Northern Afghanistan) Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, “We have a great responsibility here. We want to carry our share of the responsibility, militarily, in the area of civil reconstruction and in police training.” (600) Six-hundred from Germany that was already in the pipeline.
ITALY: (2,880) (KIA/UNK) (Western Afghanistan & Kabul) Italy Considering Withdrawal.
POLAND: (1,100) (KIA/UNK) (Mobile) Poland Considering Withdrawal.
SPAIN: (12-600) (KIA/UNK) said ahead of the summit that it would add a small contingent of (12-600) twelve to six-hundred to help train Afghan army officers?
UNITED KINGDOM: (8,600) (KIA 200)(Kabul, Kandahar, Helmand) The (“TEMPORARY UPLIFT”) of between (500-700) five to seven hundred increasing Britain’s military strength there to about (9K) Nine-Thousand, for a four month period until British elections to be held on August 20 , with a planned withdrawal of all British Forces upon completion of the elections.
(U.S. EMPIRE): The Empire counts it (KIA) in Tens of Thousands and doesn’t blink an eye, and will commit whatever amount of troops for as long as it sees’s fit. Now, as American commanders are asking for more troops, with the last American deployment, the number of Western troops there is already about the same as the Soviets had there in (1987). In (1988), the Soviets finally woke up, cut their losses and quickly “retreated” leaving billions worth of armaments to rust along with, (14K) Fourteen-Thousand, Russian graves. The support for the (Af-Pak) war from the Main Street, American population below (50%) Fifty-Percent, with support decreasing monthly.
(Disclaimer: These numbers are catch as catch can numbers) It should also be understood that for each (KIA), (10) ten others are wounded with (40%) of that number having life altering injuries.
(MIGHT MAKES RIGHT)
The application of the ‘might is right’ principle, and the continued unveiling of repeated new strategies, has reached a deadlock in the Islamic Crescent War of Blood for Oil, Resources and Markets, and many are now asking the question, Does the Community of Nations, and the intervening powers have any perception of how to handle this hopeless situations. As (U.S. EMPIRE) and European troops numbers levels in-country (Af-Pak) alone, reach (100K+) One-Hundred Thousand Plus and the war escalade’s into a clash of polarized civilizations, all-out jihad? And the answer is clear, NO! So, we don’t even know what the cost has been or is or how many Milestones or Gravestones we are viewing along the path to the building of the ($2B/€1.4B) Two-Billion-Dollars/ One-Point-Four-Billion-Euros, Central Asian pipeline through the Afghanistan to take gas from energy-rich Turkmenistan to Pakistan and India, so just how many milestones/gravestones will that entail?
(RECOMMENDED READING)
(http://www.RussiaToday), Is the (US) doing enough in Iraq and Afghanistan? (Alexey Sazonov’s Column)
HERCULE TRIATHLON SAVINIEN
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Specter said, adding that he questioned “even staying” in Afghanistan unless the administration demonstrates that continuing the war is “indispensable to our fight against al-Qaeda.” His position, he said, came as a result of extensive consultations with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Adm. Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the heads of the intelligence community, as well as antipathy to the government of Hamid Karzai.
Comment posted June 27, 2010 @ 7:00 am
discuss the base with the authorities” in the central Asian country, but said there were no efforts as yet to dispatch any additional U.S. senior officials to underscore the importance of keeping the base. He said that the Pentagon was “very highly involved” in the “ongoing discussions.”
Comment posted June 27, 2010 @ 7:01 am
Rob McInturff, said that the agency “has not received formal notification to close the base directly from the [Kyrgyz] government.”
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Singh noted that it wouldn’t be as simple as picking up
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Specter said, adding that he questioned “even staying” in Afghanistan unless the administration demonstrates that continuing the war is “indispensable to our fight against al-Qaeda.” His position, he said, came as a result of extensive consultations with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Adm. Michael Mullen, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the heads of the intelligence community, as well as antipathy to the government of Hamid Karzai.
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