ID :
197111
Mon, 07/25/2011 - 18:11
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https://oananews.org//node/197111
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Supply to Afghanistan through Pakistan reduced to 35 per cent
Washington (PPI) - The United States has dramatically reduced its reliability on Pakistani supply routes to Afghanistan to 35 per cent, given the volatile nature of border areas where a number of NATO suppliers have come under attack.
America’s reliability on Pakistan for supplying goods and arms and ammunition for its troops in Afghanistan has reduced to just 35 per cent, a top Pentagon official told U.S. lawmakers. This is a considerable achievement given that till recently it was more than 70 per cent and this was considered to be one of the main bargaining points for Pakistan with the U.S.
This figure of 35 per cent is expected to come further down in coming months as the Pentagon is working to increase its supply to Afghanistan through the Northern Distribution network. “It’s my understanding that approximately 35 per cent moves through the ground, and the other is moving through the Northern Distribution Network, coupled with also lift as we bring in supplies by air,” General William M. Fraser told Senate Armed Services Committee at his confirmation hearing to be Commander, United States Transportation Command.
The U.S. officials have stated in recent times that they were working on reducing their dependency on the supply routes in Pakistan after a series of attacks on NATO tankers carrying oil and other goods to western forces and Afghanistan. “If you have to, how long would it take you to make up for that 35 per cent? Suppose tomorrow Pakistan shut off those supply routes. How long would it take you to adjust to keep same level of logistics into Afghanistan?” Ranking Republican Senator John McCain, asked.
Gen. Fraser said if confirmed he would certainly delve deeply into that. “I have not learned the details of that specifically,” he said. “I have not delved deeply into the plan. I know ongoing planning is happening. I know there would be a disruption. But if confirmed, I would delve deeply into that plan to ensure that any disruption that we have is minimal, to ensure that we continue to provide that effective yet efficient support to the war fighter,” he said.
“We would also have the ability to tap into start airlift from the U.S., too. So it’s not just intra-theatre, but it’s also inter-theatre. Intra-theatre it’s also using ships. So it would be a holistic look that we would have to address, and I will delve deeply into that,” he said.
Earlier, in response to written questions, Fraser said the possible closure of Pakistan lines of communication would not change requirement of about 300 organic strategic airlift aircraft. “Improving throughput at existing airports and expanding capacity in our surface networks which supply Afghanistan has again been a centrepiece of our efforts in 2010.
“Northern Distribution Network (NDN) remains a priority for USTRANSCOM. In 2010, two additional routes were added through the Baltics and Central Asia and continue to improve the processes, facilitating a faster, less costly cargo flow. In addition to NDN improvements, capacity was added at intermodal Persian Gulf locations,” he said.
“Realizing that more capacity was needed to support surge of forces into Afghanistan and movement of thousands of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAP), USTRANSCOM worked closely with USCENTCOM and Department of State to secure access to additional airfields and seaports in the Persian Gulf.
“Using a concept called multi-modal operations, large volumes of cargo and thousands of vehicles were moved by sea to locations in closer proximity to USCENTCOM area of operations, by truck from seaports to nearby airfields and then by air to Afghanistan,” Fraser said.
America’s reliability on Pakistan for supplying goods and arms and ammunition for its troops in Afghanistan has reduced to just 35 per cent, a top Pentagon official told U.S. lawmakers. This is a considerable achievement given that till recently it was more than 70 per cent and this was considered to be one of the main bargaining points for Pakistan with the U.S.
This figure of 35 per cent is expected to come further down in coming months as the Pentagon is working to increase its supply to Afghanistan through the Northern Distribution network. “It’s my understanding that approximately 35 per cent moves through the ground, and the other is moving through the Northern Distribution Network, coupled with also lift as we bring in supplies by air,” General William M. Fraser told Senate Armed Services Committee at his confirmation hearing to be Commander, United States Transportation Command.
The U.S. officials have stated in recent times that they were working on reducing their dependency on the supply routes in Pakistan after a series of attacks on NATO tankers carrying oil and other goods to western forces and Afghanistan. “If you have to, how long would it take you to make up for that 35 per cent? Suppose tomorrow Pakistan shut off those supply routes. How long would it take you to adjust to keep same level of logistics into Afghanistan?” Ranking Republican Senator John McCain, asked.
Gen. Fraser said if confirmed he would certainly delve deeply into that. “I have not learned the details of that specifically,” he said. “I have not delved deeply into the plan. I know ongoing planning is happening. I know there would be a disruption. But if confirmed, I would delve deeply into that plan to ensure that any disruption that we have is minimal, to ensure that we continue to provide that effective yet efficient support to the war fighter,” he said.
“We would also have the ability to tap into start airlift from the U.S., too. So it’s not just intra-theatre, but it’s also inter-theatre. Intra-theatre it’s also using ships. So it would be a holistic look that we would have to address, and I will delve deeply into that,” he said.
Earlier, in response to written questions, Fraser said the possible closure of Pakistan lines of communication would not change requirement of about 300 organic strategic airlift aircraft. “Improving throughput at existing airports and expanding capacity in our surface networks which supply Afghanistan has again been a centrepiece of our efforts in 2010.
“Northern Distribution Network (NDN) remains a priority for USTRANSCOM. In 2010, two additional routes were added through the Baltics and Central Asia and continue to improve the processes, facilitating a faster, less costly cargo flow. In addition to NDN improvements, capacity was added at intermodal Persian Gulf locations,” he said.
“Realizing that more capacity was needed to support surge of forces into Afghanistan and movement of thousands of Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicles (MRAP), USTRANSCOM worked closely with USCENTCOM and Department of State to secure access to additional airfields and seaports in the Persian Gulf.
“Using a concept called multi-modal operations, large volumes of cargo and thousands of vehicles were moved by sea to locations in closer proximity to USCENTCOM area of operations, by truck from seaports to nearby airfields and then by air to Afghanistan,” Fraser said.
