U.S. Plans Alternate Route For Iraq Supplies Amid Turkish Turmoil

[sabra]

Source: WSJ

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon is preparing plans to send supplies bound for Iraq through other countries if Turkey carries through on a threat to close its airspace to the U.S. But the likely short-term alternatives have limitations.

Relations between Washington and Ankara have been strained by Turkey's preparations to invade northern Iraq to rout out Kurdish rebels at the same time as U.S. lawmakers consider a resolution accusing Turkey of genocide against Armenians following World War I.

...

The dispute is a source of concern within the Pentagon. The U.S. military brings enormous quantities of food, fuel, ammunition, spare parts and vehicles into Iraq every month through the Incirlik Air Base in southern Turkey. Officials said 70% of the air cargo going into Iraq passes through Turkey.

If the U.S. lost access to Turkish airspace, it likely would try to bring supplies in from Jordan or Kuwait. But neither country could step in as a viable replacement. The U.S. has no major bases in Jordan, and the highways linking Jordan and Iraq pass through several restive Sunni-dominated parts of Iraq. The U.S. ports and bases in Kuwait, meanwhile, are already stretched by supplies en route to Iraq.

Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB119245164457759137.html?mod=hpp_us_whats_news

[rodeodance]

1. maybe this is hasten us getting out of Iraq?

[bdamomma]

2. and the King in Jordan is not a fan of the escalation of troops into

Iraq either, King Abdullah, he wants an end to it. Hmmmm.....making it harder for supplies to get in??? could this be what we were waiting for, no one will want these bastards to use their country to further their agenda. Could be a big FU to the bushies huh?

[leftchick]

3. it is tough running an occupation in hostile territory

someone should have considered this happening about 5 years ago. :eyes:

[coalition_unwilling]

5. Anyone who has studied Napoleon or Hitler's invasions of

Russia (aka the Soviet Union) could and should have seen this coming.

Oh well, as one of Heller's characters in "Catch-22" says, what the hell.

[Supersedeas]

4. just send Condi....she's competent enough to fix it.