Pakistani Militants Torch 160 U.S. and NATO Vehicles

[babylonsister]

http://www.vetvoice.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=2276

Pakistani Militants Torch 160 U.S. and NATO Vehicles
by: Brandon Friedman
Mon Dec 08, 2008 at 04:13:45 AM EST


La, la, la. . .(eyes closed, fingers in ears). . .I can't hear you:

PESHAWAR, Pakistan - Militants torched 160 vehicles, including dozens of Humvees destined for U.S. and allied forces fighting in Afghanistan, in the boldest attack so far on the critical military supply line through Pakistan.

The American military said Sunday's raid on two transport terminals near the beleaguered Pakistani city of Peshawar would have "minimal" impact on anti-Taliban operations set to expand with the arrival of thousands more troops next year.

(Reuters photo)

At some point this becomes a problem. I know that a major military incursion into Pakistan is the Idea Which Cannot Be Spoken, but many of the burned out vehicles in the photos were up-armored humvees. And the loss of those vehicles directly endangers the lives of American soldiers serving in Afghanistan. Consequently, we shouldn't be asking men and women to risk their lives in Afghanistan if we're only going to let Pakistani militants to dictate what equipment our troops get to use.

As this is at least the second time something like this has happened in less than a month, I would think that the U.S. military might want to start thinking about alternative supply routes--that is, unless America wants to invade western Pakistan in an effort to seize and hold routes and supply points the Pakistani military is unwilling or incapable of protecting.

And I'll tell you, when I saw the burned out vehicles in the Peshawar photos yesterday, the first thing I thought of was the Highway of Death leading out of Kuwait in 1991. Remember all those burned out, destroyed Iraqi vehicles we blew up? You know what that was for us? A big, giant middle finger directed toward all those who would oppose us. It was a big dance in the end zone.

And it's the same thing for these guys in Pakistan. This is a huge confidence builder for the Taliban, and the next attack will be even more catastrophic. You can bank on it.

These people who don't want us there are very serious about their business. They don't want us there and they clearly have the will to win. They've demonstrated it on both sides of the Durand Line for decades. If we don't match that tenacity soon--or get out completely--then we're fucked. Because this game of perpetual denial about how bad the situation is in Pakistan just won't cut it.

[tekisui]

1. They are trying to choke NATO out,

like they did with the Russians:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=4608305&mesg_id=4608305

[babylonsister]

2. Maybe the US, too. Sounds like it. nt

[Ganja Ninja]

3. Why aren't they just flying all this stuff in?

[tekisui]

4. Logistics.

They bring in 70-80% by land. The landlocked country must not be an accommodating flight.

[Smith_3]

5. Wait. Ain't this good for our economy?

That way we can make contracts for new stuff. :shrug:

:eyes: