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| India-Pakistan |
| Pakistan: Major attack on 'war' supplies |
| 2008-12-07 |
| Police said at least one person was killed as more than 250 gunmen attacked the terminal near the city of Peshawar using rockets and guns. Some of the lorries were laden with Humvee armoured vehicles. The road is a major supply route for US and Western forces battling against the Taleban in neighbouring Afghanistan. Hauliers say that over 350 trucks daily carry an average of 7,000 tonnes of goods over the Khyber Pass to Kabul. The attack occurred around 0230 on Sunday (2130 GMT, Saturday) as up to 250 militants stormed the Portward Logistic Terminal. "They fired rockets, hurled hand grenades and then set ablaze 96 trucks," Reuters news agency quoted a police officer, Azeem Khan, as saying. "They were shouting Allahu Akbar (God is Great) and Down With America," a security guard told Reuters. They broke into the terminals after snatching guns from us," Mohammad Rafiullah said. Another report said 106 lorries had been set on fire - 62 laden with Humvees. Most supplies for US and Nato forces in Afghanistan go through Pakistan's Khyber Pass. |
| Posted by:phil_b |
| #20 No amount of bombing (or nuking) is going to open supply lines through Pakistan proper, once closed. I'm not sure you understand how enhanced radiation weapons work. And after the massacre I anticipate, I would not be surprised to find out that Bambi learns how to use them. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2008-12-07 18:46 |
| #19 The only viable military solution to a breakdown of Pakistan supply lines to Afghanistan is a 'Free Baluchistan'. No amount of bombing (or nuking) is going to open supply lines through Pakistan proper, once closed. Now AQ/the Pashtuns have figured out the Achilles Heel of the Afghan War, this problem will only get worse, with or without complicity from the ISI, etc. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2008-12-07 18:21 |
| #18 Option 2. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2008-12-07 17:54 |
| #17 And depart Afghanistan, march to the sea like Sherman. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2008-12-07 17:34 |
| #16 No supply route through Pakistan = no Get a bead on all the Paki nuclear weapons now, and get ready to seize or detroy them. Same goes with military HW, C#I and ISI centers. Alpha Strike. Decapitate the nation. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2008-12-07 17:32 |
| #15 Seems to me that if the PAKIwakis wanted to 'send a message' regarding our support of India, they would have stopped this attack from occurring, or at least given the pretext of counterattacking to minimize the damage. I think our course of action needs to be the oft-wished ARCLIGHT plus whatever expired shelf life radioactive ordnance we just happen to have sitting around. Get a two fer: open roads and no added HAZMAT waste disposal costs. But it will never happen; we will just send these savages some more $$ or airplanes, or both. |
| Posted by: USN,Ret. 2008-12-07 16:40 |
| #14 Another graphic lesson on why one doesn't have supply lines controlled by the enemy (and paying a king's ransom to ship through it). Is anyone in D.C. paying attention? Better to have minimal forces in Afghanistan and acknowledge terrorism is a two way street. |
| Posted by: ed 2008-12-07 16:40 |
| #13 Some more details here. One security official said they had struck as police were busy investigating Saturday's huge bomb blast in Peshawar that killed 34 people and wounded 120 others. "It was also a weekend and security was relatively relaxed because of Eid vacations," the official said. |
| Posted by: tipper 2008-12-07 15:37 |
| #12 When will Pakistan demand that the Taliban respect their sovereignty? |
| Posted by: crosspatch 2008-12-07 15:24 |
| #11 This is a travesty. We "trust" Pakis for the conveyance of our supplies ? No US military, no Pak military, no so-called Police anywhere within miles. The first responders, who were local cops, arrived 40 minutes after the force made it's getaway. This wasn't a set-up ? A reprisal for our Predators ? Give me a break. If this is our level of competence there, get the hell out now. To see some chirper on the telly saying that this will not affect our military's operations is a joke. Those Hunvees were no doubt desperately needed to replace the ones blown to hell the previous fortnight. This is maddening. |
| Posted by: Woozle Elmeter 2700 2008-12-07 14:41 |
| #10 Anybody remember the draft? Hmmm? |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2008-12-07 14:22 |
| #9 Should have had an B1/2 attack on the terminal when it was swarmed, or maybe a MOAB. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2008-12-07 14:05 |
| #8 "after snatching guns from us," Perhaps it is just a poor translation, but that sounds like a pathetic defense. |
| Posted by: Darrell 2008-12-07 12:53 |
| #7 Start having the trucks driven by Marines, with someone riding "shotgun" in each truck. Add a Bradley at the front and rear of the convoy, and between every ten trucks. Rules of engagement: drive from Karachi to Kabul. If fired upon, return fire with maximum effectiveness. If the rubes complain, tell them you'll stop using Marines when the route is totally secured. Anybody remember the Red Ball Express? Hmmm? |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2008-12-07 12:24 |
| #6 Two choices: Start the Afghan withdrawal now. Pincer movement on Karachi from Kabul and Gujarat. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2008-12-07 12:00 |
| #5 So what does the new CIC - meaning, what do we do - about this if the Pakistan LOC is cut or even seriously challenged? Best answer wins genius of the month/year award. This one don't look easy. |
| Posted by: Verlaine 2008-12-07 11:55 |
| #4 That was the point of the Mumbai operation. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2008-12-07 07:36 |
| #3 That's a message to USA re supporting Indian retaliation for Mumbai. Same thought occured to me. No supply route through Pakistan = no Afghan War. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2008-12-07 06:20 |
| #2 That's a message to USA re supporting Indian retaliation for Mumbai. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2008-12-07 05:59 |
| #1 This was initially reported as a rocket attack. 250 men storming the facility is new. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2008-12-07 04:35 |