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Subscribe to RSSPakistan has closed crucial roads used to ferry supplies to U.S and NATO troops in Afghanistan -- leaving Pakistani drivers stranded and driving up the U.S. price tag for the war. NBC's Amna Nawaz reports from Peshawar.
PESHAWAR, Pakistan – The ring road in Peshawar is a rough ride: navigating certain stretches means dodging enormous potholes, steering clear of steep ditches and swerving to avoid the occasional brave soul who darts from one side of the road to the other.
Yet this has been, for the last decade, one of the main arteries on which convoys of trucks carrying supplies for U.S. and NATO forces have made their way into Afghanistan. Those ground lines of communication that run from Karachi's ports to two border crossings in Pakistan have been a fundamental part of the U.S.-Pakistan relationship, as has the air line of communication.
When the U.S.-Pakistan alliance was tested once again in late November after a U.S. cross-border air strike that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, Pakistan reacted by shutting down the ground supply routes – a step they've taken before in protest to U.S. actions. The air lines of communication remain open.
But access to those crucial land routes has never been denied to the U.S. for this long, and the two accounts from the U.S. and the Pakistan military of the cross-border strike that prompted their closure are so starkly different that it's hard to see how they can be reconciled.
Even though the Americans have reduced their dependence on Pakistan's roads over the last few years by using alternative routes running through Russia and Central Asia, the cost of moving goods via air and on that northern route is much greater – reportedly six times more a month – than using Pakistan's routes.
Asif Hassan / AFP - Getty Images
This photograph taken on Dec. 18, 2011 shows a general view of the NATO supply of oil tankers stand parked near oil terminals in Pakistan's port city of Karachi.
It now costs about $104 million per month to send supplies through the longer northern route, according to Pentagon figures shown to the Associated Press. That is $87 million more than when the cargo was shipped through Pakistan.
Pakistan's government is conducting its own internal review of the alliance with the U.S., and officials here say no decision will be made about the supply lines until that review is complete and recommendations have been discussed by the government. Already, however, there are forces at work within Pakistan's religious and political parties to prevent the government from reopening those lines and re-engaging on the same level with the U.S.
Issue of nationalism
At a recent rally in Rawalpindi for the Pakistan Defense Council, made up of dozens of religious and political parties, leaders mentioned the NATO supply lines with the same fervor as they did deeply nationalistic issues such as divided Kashmir and the country’s nuclear weapons. The crowd of thousands cheered as speaker after speaker threatened that there could be countrywide protests should the government decide to reopen the supply lines.
"The NATO supply lines should not be restored at any cost," said Mohammad Abdullah Gul, chairman of the National Youth Conference and a member of the Pakistan Defense Council.
"Even if the government restores (them), we are not going to accept it. The people of Pakistan, we are going to mobilize. From Khyber to Karachi, they will be mobilized and they will stop the NATO supply lines," he said.
Retired Col. Nazir Ahmed is the spokesman for Jamaat-ud-Dawa, an organization which he describes as having a "purely Islamic platform."
He said that the NATO supply lines were "rightly" blocked, and should stay blocked "forever," unless the U.S. "comes to us on the basis of equality."
He was particularly outraged by the recent cross-border attack.
Asif Hassan / AFP - Getty Images
This photograph taken on Dec. 18, 2011 shows NATO's supply of oil tankers stand parked near oil terminals in Pakistan's port city of Karachi.
"After the aggression that the Americans committed on the Pakistan Army? They slaughtered and killed so many Muslim soldiers," said Nazir. "Every country has the right to defend its borders and its ideology."
For this segment of the population – frustrated by what they see as a decade of subservience to American policy in a deeply unpopular war here – a decision to reopen the supply lines is tantamount to a decision to put U.S. interests ahead of Pakistan's.
That sentiment felt by a growing number of Pakistanis who think the relationship with the U.S. has not benefitted their own country will make it difficult for Pakistan's leaders to publicly re-engage with the U.S., and reopen the supply lines in the same manner and under the same conditions as before.
Both U.S. and Pakistani officials say they remain committed to their alliance. How the NATO supply routes will fit into that alliance, however, is yet to be seen.
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All taliban supporters and terrorist themselfs!
Let's just take that $87 million from our US aid to them.
Here's a quote from an American...
"The US aid & money should not be restored at any cost"
Julie, I was thinking the same thing. If the Pakistani Government can not control what happens within its boarders, then perhaps it is better to not do any business with them at all.
Pakistan is on its way to becoming a Taliban type of state and next time they get in a spat with India, lets just stay the heck out of it and let India smoke their asses. If there are any survivors, let them work out a deal with the victors.
Sometimes in history, a civilization has to be totally destroyed for the world to get better. Remember NAZI Germany? About 10 Million Germans died during and after the war, and no one can seriously say that Germany is not a leading democracy in the world. Perhaps Pakistan needs to go through such a blood letting for them to be able to change?
little knowledge is dangerous
Now America is also about to befriend Taliban is you have read the latest news?
Pakistan is the enemy, they support terrorism and danced when the towers fell. Make no mistake Pakistan is the devils crew and they are doing the devils work, rob, kill and destroy. Pakistan is the devils domain and their destiny is the pits of Hell. America do not make a deal with the Devil and do not do the devils work, to hell with Pakistan where they belong.
USA is the devil right now destroying the world in revenge to kill third world poor people without any reason.
May I ask you a question who trained and produced Al-Qaida the liars called CIA and murderers of USA.
Please read a little history and you will know who were the mujhiadeen and who trained them?
min.rate
Many Americans are too stupid or proud to admit to your facts. The people controlling the government continue to get rich by the continuation of these wars and foreign policies at the cost of our taxes and children's lives.
@topgun, hate monger, look at the history of pakistna, they helped us right from the beginning, by giving us base to fly U2 over russia and then defeating USSR in afghanistan. get real, we have ditched paksitan for india so we can encircle china. its global politics, they rightly feel abandoned by us.
Dan, maybe Pakistan should have thought about that before they decided to hide Osama Scum Laden in their country for years! Pakistan is nowhere close to being our ally or our friend! I could care less whether they feel abandoned by us or not. They have made their own bed and now they can lay in it. They can now suck up to their neighbors and good buddies the Chinese and let China foot their bills.
100% correct.
Let's get real! Pakistan is no ally, it is another failed muslim state filled with lying, cheating, stealing and wanton killing! Get out of that place now! Our true ally is India and we should all look to India as a friend in that part of the world, and logicially we should let India handle the problems in Pakistan, not the US.
Pakistan is just like another country with normal people.
If your western media writes lies about Pakistan you just believe that.
May I ask you how will USA fight the war without supplies?
The other route Northern route goes through three countries and is totally impractical for the long term.
So you better read the facts before writing here. How can India help supply supplies for this war one does not understand your logic.
Min.rate, you have your definition of what constitutes normal people and I have mine. I do not need Western media to tell me that the U.S. has gotten nothing but backstabbing and lies from the Pakistani government. As for our supplies, any other route has got to be better than dealing with having to go through Pakistan. Sounds like the one out of touch with the facts and logic is you.
we should NOT be there at all. Just like we should not have been in Iraq. We need to mind our own business at home. Spend the millions on our own issues like the economy......or for that matter just don't spend the money at all. Let the middle east be the middle east. If they come here and misbehave....then simply destroy them. But this current way of doing things is a waste.
Yes you are right but NATO and USA are fighting the war because of greed and oil in the middle east so this is an investment so what you are writing does not take into consideration that what USA politicians say is never the truth.
All the wars are evil and for money while many innocent people in USA or the world do not understand the real motivations of these wars.
We should stop all aid money to Pakistan and stop issuing Visas to the Pakis to come here. The Pakis here are a national security threat and they should have their Visas revoked and be sent home. No more money and no more Visas.
GTR5: maybe you need to read up before you comment like many other ignorant fools. We already did stop all aid to pakistan. Why else do you think they closed the border down. Its a dog fight dog thing. We take aid away and they close their border.
Abandoned? Your nuts , they help us only when it benefits them completely. We have given that country a ton of money and technology at great risk to ourselves and our relationship with India. The second they allowed and hid Osama, the taliban and ever other terrorist they could find in their borders they betrayed us and collected anyway! The whole reason this afghan thing is still going on is them. Their soldiers wear the uniform by day and then Taliban all night! Their army got in a fire fight with us that night because we stumbled upon their own people helping the Taliban , why do they think we are so dumb? We should have cut them off long ago! OUR OWN TAX MONEY has been feeding the Taliban and the other terrorists for years. I would like to know who really cares about Pakistan ? I think it is great place to keep perfecting our drone technology.
What has USA given to Pakistan? Pakistan has lost 40, 000 people dead in this war as USA/NATO threw alll the Al-Qaida and Taliban from Afghanistan into Pakistan and they have destroyed Pakistan completely.
The lives lost or $ 8 billion payments by USA to Pakistan for using the facilities of Pakistan for last 10 years and the having the killing fields transferred to Pakistan is better for Pakistan.
Nobody wants USA/NATO there why the occupier is still in this area as they say all Al-Qaida people have been killed so better withdraw as you forget the history of this area where all occupiers have been defeated.
USA is responsible for increasing the extremism in the region because its killing moderate people and they also become extremists in the long run.
Best is USA leave this region and people of the area decide their own future as occupation by USA of this region is not good for this place at all .
Without giving the money how will you fight the war without supplies for the war?
Please read the other routes are totally impractical in the long run as they pass through 3 countries and are dependent on Russia which will eventually blackmail USA.
The main thing wrong with this article as it does not explain that the other routes are totally impractical in the long run and the real costs are so much higher so the real truth in this article is totally missing.
Pakistani route is the only workable route in the long run that is the only truth which has not been even discussed in this article.
Pakistan in the last 3 decades offered lot more to the US than even Israel. Yet American policy has always been to undermine Pakistan. It was time for this to happen. Compare the aid that America offered Israel and Pakistan and the value they got back. Pakistan helped them defeat the Soviets, keep Russia, China and Iran in check. Thanks to most recent policies, they have pushed both Iran and Pakistan to China's fold.
Pakistan is a state sponsor of terror. Pakistan is littered with terrorist training camps and several terrorist groups, including: AlQueda, Taliban, Lakshar, and Haqqani. All the paths of all the major terrorists caught the world over have had paths that led from or through Pakistan. Pakistan's AQ Khan sold nuclear technology to other rogue states, including Iran and North Korea.
Sure Pakistan was cheaper but it was also much more dangerous route. im glad we are not going through there anymore that's were most of the enemy are these days anyway.
USA/NATO has no other options as the Northern route is not practical in the long run.
Let me tell you that the greatest enemy of USA is USA's fear itself and your western media which exaggerates everything.
What is the objective of the war and staying in Afghanistan now as most of the Al-Qaida have been eliminated may I ask you a question?
Ron Paul has it right. End all financial arraignments with all of those countries including Israel. The only country that can stand up by itself is India. At some point in time resolutions have to be made and kept.If they want statehood just say so. If they want to be free to kill each other, let them but not on our dime . It is like having thirty year old kids living in your house stealing from you and fighting each other, meanwhile they talk as tho your the biggest ass around. Time to kick the jerks out of the house. We are slowly getting drained by these leaches. The current and past logic is one that cannot be sustained and is enabling. At some point in time you just have to say NO.
Hard to approach Pakistan as equals when they are on US welfare, receiving billions of dollars a year in aid. Cut that aid to zero and then Pakistan can approach the US as equals. Hard to claim equality when your country is dependent on billions of dollars in aid money.
I say cut off all aid and treat Pakistan as an equal!
I guess China can say the same thing about US, since everything these days seems to be done through borrowed money.
Let's have minimal presence to reduce cost. or get out all together. they'll see how others will treat them.
Name me one Muslim country that is our friend. It sure ain't Pakistan. They hid Osama Bin Laden , they protect the Taliban and other terrorist groups. With friends like that , who needs enemies.
This is just stupid. Pakistan and Afghanistan are nations that harbour terrorists. They are dominated by a savage and stupid religion. All the people in both countries combined are not worth the life of one US or Canadian. We should get out of both countries. No troops , no aid, no nothing. If there is another attack with so much as a firecracker. Destroy them completely with tactical nukes. No troops, just death from the sky. No survivors no prisoners. We have the ability, just not the will. The world would pis and moan, but they aren't going to do anything about it. India would probably thank us.
On a recent MSNBC Blog there was an article about Kahn who is in the running for Prime Minister in Pakistan
in 2012 and he is a friend of my husband's cousin. Anyway, a Newsweek article Nov. 2011 he was quoting
as saying, among other things, that former Pres. George W. Bush is corrupt, so he lost me there because I am
a robust GWB Republican However, there is always hope! And let's hope for the best!!
Pakistan can not be trusted. They are snakes. The government is corrupted and the military has terrorist ties. First of all, they were hiding Bin Laden, that tells us a lot about them. Stop the aid and payments, let them eat dirt. No matter what, Pakistanis will be fighting each other always. Karzai is another snake that can't be trusted. Why do we help them in Afghanistan?
Cut all aid and it makes no difference at the cost of other routes as it will still cost much less, with change left after going around.
They are not our friends, they are a drain on our economy and cost us plenty annually. Without our aid, they will starve or get their collective asses whipped in short order.
wow i'm amazed how many people are still ignorant about the fact that all aid has already been cut off to pakistan. Why else do you think they closed their border to our supplies. We need to get the hell out of Afghanistan and just stick to ourselves. its this international presence of ours that is causing us to become a target of all this hatred. why do we need such a big US military, definitely not to protect us, but to create a false sense of superiority over the rest of the world. Our economy is going to shiit and we want to play soldier.
104 million a month is still 2 times cheaper than the 3 Billion we are giving them each year. Cut them off completely and save 2 billion. They'll all end up killing each other anyway with or without our money.
Here's a great idea, cut off all aid to them and see how fast they come running back to kiss our asses...That you can bet on..
this is the top 1% trying to rule the world. until we put them in there place at home we can forget about peace in the world. this is just one way for them to make more money war war war get it. get off your asses and do something or stop complaining.
I agree Pakistan must be declared a terrorist nation, nuclear weapons or not.
Bush really messed up teaming with Musharriff
$104mil a month doesn't add up. The drivers are paid crap, gas is cheap, so who's putting chunks of that in their pocket? Seriously wish the govt WOULD account for every penny spent on these 'wars"....oh wait, it might show how many US politicians and their friends are getting a piece of the pie too.
What a lie $ 87 million loss per month!!!
This war cannot be fought or won without the Pakistani route that is the real truth. The other route the Northern route passes through at least three countries and is dependent on Russian assent.
That route is impossible in the long run and the real cost is so high in real subjective terms that the wrong information given by the pentagon is the greatest lie.
Right now this shut down is pinching so much that this war is already becoming a disaster.
While the writers here are writing that they should cut all relations with Pakistan: Then in this case NATO better decide to accept defeat in this war as the other route Northern route and direct air route is totally not practical to fight the war in the next two to three years.
I am amazed that it has yet not occurred to the American decision makers and politicians that USA is no longer in the position of dictating its arrogant decisions and terms on 180 million Pakistanis. There are many reasons for this change.
1. Besides a tiny group of pro-US segment of Pakistanis, all sections - public, political parties and most important of all, the Pak armed forces have now realized that US is not Pakistan’s friends, has never been and it only cares for its selfish strategic interests.
2. Pakistan’s losses of 35000 persons, destroyed infrastructure because of heavy but free NATO supply transportation and loss of 80 billion dollars to Pak treasury incurred in fighting US’s war on terrorism is totally ignored by US.
There are many other reasons as to why a staunch pro-US ally as Pakistan has not only given on its relations with US but it is ready to stand up to its bullying.
Something to think about!