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U.S. Examines Plan B for Supplying Troops in Afghanistan
The U.S. military is examining different contingencies for supplying American troops in Afghanistan if supplies can no longer be shipped through Pakistan, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said today. (Video)Morrell said at a Pentagon news conference that the supply line issue is a very real area of concern for our commanders in Afghanistan, because 75 percent of all of our supplies for our troops in Afghanistan flow either through or over Pakistan. This includes about 40 percent of the fuel shipped to U.S. forces, which comes directly from Pakistani refineries. No ammunition goes through Pakistan, the press secretary said. Morrell could not say what the contingency plans are, but was confident troops would be supplied if a Plan B were needed. We are a can-do operation, he said. Theyll figure out a way to get it done if it needs to get done. Morrell said Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates visited Capitol Hill today in part to urge lawmakers to quickly pass the supplemental war spending bill. As of yesterday the Department of Defense has had to move money from base budget accounts so that we can continue to support essential operations such as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, he said. The Army is in a particularly precarious situation. Absent extraordinary measures, it would run out of money by mid-February, so quick congressional action is needed. Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2007-11-15 |
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