Pakistan Closes NATO Supply Lines Into Afghanistan Following Attack On Two Outposts

Supposedly our choppers attacked two regular-unit Pakistan army outposts, killing 24.

What happened? It could have been a complete botch on our part.

On the other hand, maybe our boys fired on them because Pakistan troops were defending Al Qaeda or the Taliban. They seem to be increasingly blatant about supporting terrorists.

Pakistan on Saturday accused NATO helicopters and fighter jets of firing on two army checkpoints in the country's northwest and killing 24 soldiers. Islamabad retaliated by closing the border crossings used by the international coalition to supply its troops in neighboring Afghanistan.

...

A spokesman for NATO forces in Afghanistan, Brig. Gen. Carsten Jacobson, said it was "highly likely" that close air support called in by Afghan and coalition forces operating in the border area caused Pakistani casualties.

...

Much of the violence in Afghanistan is carried out by insurgents that are based just across the border in Pakistan. Coalition forces are not allowed to cross the frontier to attack the militants. The militants, however, sometimes fire artillery and rockets across the line, reportedly from locations close to Pakistani army posts.

American officials have repeatedly accused Pakistani forces of supporting — or turning a blind eye — to militants using its territory for cross-border attacks.

If I'm reading it right, Pakistan shut all land routes, but not necessarily air routes into Afghanistan. 30% of our "non-lethal" supplies come via trucks through Pakistan.

Allowing the Taliban to fire mortars at US troops while hiding under Pakistan troops' skirts? Lovely.

Explanation: Actually they probably cut their air routes, too. The reason only 30% comes through Pakistan is that we send a lot of supply through Russia, a smart-guy informs me.

Russia hasn't closed routes yet, but they could.

posted by Ace at 02:37 PM

| Access Comments