Pakistan closes NATO supply lines to Afghanistan

[Chris_]

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.

It comes a little more than a year after a similar but less deadly strike near the Afghan border in which U.S. helicopters accidentally killed two Pakistani whom the pilots mistook for insurgents. Pakistan responded by closing the Torkham border crossing to NATO supplies for 10 days until the U.S. apologized.

On Saturday, Pakistan went further, closing both of the country's border crossings into landlocked Afghanistan. NATO trucks about 30 percent of the non-lethal supplies used by its Afghan-based forces through Pakistan. A short stoppage will have no effect on the war effort, but serves as a reminder of the leverage Pakistan has over the United States from the supply routes running through its territory.

Associated Press

[CG6468]

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.

It comes a little more than a year after a similar but less deadly strike near the Afghan border in which U.S. helicopters accidentally killed two Pakistani whom the pilots mistook for insurgents. Pakistan responded by closing the Torkham border crossing to NATO supplies for 10 days until the U.S. apologized.

On Saturday, Pakistan went further, closing both of the country's border crossings into landlocked Afghanistan. NATO trucks about 30 percent of the non-lethal supplies used by its Afghan-based forces through Pakistan. A short stoppage will have no effect on the war effort, but serves as a reminder of the leverage Pakistan has over the United States from the supply routes running through its territory.

Associated Press

It's way past time to show Pakistan some leverage.

[Chris_]

Pakistan demands US vacate air base after deadly strikes

The Pakistani government has demanded the United States vacate an air base within 15 days after blaming NATO air forces for the fatal attack on military outposts in northwest Pakistan.

The government issued the demand Saturday after NATO helicopters and jet fighters allegedly attacked two Pakistan army posts along the Afghan border, killing up to 28 Pakistani soldiers and plunging U.S.-Pakistan relations deeper into crisis.

MSNBC

Where's Obama? 

Playing golf.

[DumbAss Tanker]

Understandable rage if the situation is as they claim, however the Pakistani border forces have a bit of a track record for playing for the other team, beyond just turning a blind eye to raiders and smugglers for cash, or from intimidation, as one might expect in the third world.  Probably best to withhold judgment on this, it's not like the Air Force hasn't ever screwed the pooch before.

[Mr Mannn]

The Pakis have been headed down this path ever since we revealed to the world that they had offered shelter, aid and comfort to Ossama Bin Laden.

They were not so uppity when a strong president was in force, but now with the limp-wrist, paper tiger we have for president they can do all sorts of reprehensible things.

and to think Obama's team plans to present him as the "foreign policy President."

All that said though one truth stands out clearly: "Never trust a muslim!"

[FreeBorn]

The Pakis have been headed down this path ever since we revealed to the world that they had offered shelter, aid and comfort to Ossama Bin Laden.

They were not so uppity when a strong president was in force, but now with the limp-wrist, paper tiger we have for president they can do all sorts of reprehensible things.

and to think Obama's team plans to present him as the "foreign policy President."

All that said though one truth stands out clearly: "Never trust a muslim!"

Very well put, four years without a president is long enough.

These people are not our friends. I'd really like to see us gravitate away from being so cozy with the Pakis. Certainly I understand the geographical importance of it but I'd feel better if we shifted our bases in the region to India instead.

[JohnnyReb]

Very well put, four years without a president is long enough.

These people are not our friends. I'd really like to see us gravitate away from being so cozy with the Pakis. Certainly I understand the geographical importance of it but I'd feel better if we shifted our bases in the region to India instead.

Personally, of late I am of the opinion that we need to find a way to start a war between Africa, India, China and the Muslim middle east while we stay out of it until very near the end.