The NATO summit was a flop

"Zardari's refusal to reopen the supply routes left a diplomatic blot on a summit that NATO sought to cast as the beginning of the end of the conflict in Afghanistan. The Chicago gathering did produce a formal agreement by the alliance to hand over lead responsibility for security to Afghan forces by mid-2013, and pull out nearly all U.S. and other NATO troops by the end of 2014 even if the Taliban-led insurgency remains undiminished.

U.S. officials insist ample fuel and other supplies are being delivered via much longer and more expensive land routes in Russia and other nations north of Afghanistan. But the Pentagon says reopening the land route in Pakistan will be essential to hauling vast stores of military equipment and vehicles out of Afghanistan during the withdrawal."  LA Times

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I guess BHO does not really accept the idea that Afghanistan and Pakistan are sovereign entities that are not obliged to do his bidding.

WH spokesmen are now citing the great "success" in Iraq as "proof" of how well things are going to end in Afghanistan.

We have yielded effective operational control to the Afghans.  A formal transfer of opcon can wait until after November.

The Pakistanis are still blockading our supplies and are demading large bribes before they will be willing to open the spigot.

The former Soviet states are getting rich by "solving" this problem temporarily.

General Allen, the WH's man is leaving for EUCOM command soon.  I hope the skiing is still good at Garmisch.

Ambassador Crocker has announced hat he is returning to retirement this summer.

Looks like the little furry critters are leaving.  pl

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-nato-afghanistan-20120522,0,2278946.story

Comments

[Walrus]

I'll settle for getting the troops out. I guess we will see images of a triumphant Taliban in Hummers in due course.

Col. Lang, do you remember the arty manual on permanently destroying a gun? Insert round backwards down barrel and fire with a long lanyard?

[CTuttle]

Who the f*ck do they hire to come up with these names...?

Eager Lion commanders hold press conference

Liberty U grads...? And, I'm sure it's all just a 'coincidence'...!

12,000 troops train on Syria's border

In the Middle East thousands of U.S. and allied forces are training for a nightmare scenario– the region exploding in a full-fledged war. CNN’s Barbara Starr got exclusive access to their mission in Jordan.

What a wicked web we weave...!

[CTuttle]

It looks like MG Tovo assumed a good 'plf' during his 'Friendship Jump'...!

[The Twisted Genius]

CTuttle,

Yes, names for exercise and operations are now parts of the heavy handed propaganda (or information operations) plan. Just look at Enduring Freedom, Just Cause, and all the others. At one time these names were more a matter of operational security or, at least, organizational shorthand. We had a bilateral exercise with the Pilipino army, marines and navy back in 78 called Tempo Caper. We couldn't figure out what that meant. The battalion S2 told us we had to keep this all hush hush as we trained and prepared to fly out to Subic Bay. Once we arrived and went to enjoy the pleasures of Olongapo, we saw a huge banner hung across the main street saying "Welcome Company C, 1/35th Infantry Operation Tempo Caper." No one told the townsfolk about keeping it hush hush.

Eager Lion is just another major joint special operations exercise involving special operations units from more than a dozen allied countries training together on a regular basis. There was a similar exercise in Jordan last year, but it is bigger this year. We used to take part in the annual Flintlock exercise involving Special Forces, special operations and commando units from all of NATO exercising from the Arctic Circle to the Mediterranean Sea. Now Flintlock involves AFRICOM and takes place in Africa. I hear this year's Flintlock was cancelled due to Mali being up to their ears in alligators... or Tauregs.

[CTuttle]

That reminds me of when 10th SFG got back to Devens from Turkey during GW I, I've experienced several Reforgers and a Team Spirit, along with numerous NTC and JRTC manuevers...! Lucked out in that I never had to fire a weapon in anger...!

[Cloned Poster]

The WP calls the logistics (see pic on link below) a "miracle".

http://www.washingtonpost.com/rw/2010-2019/WashingtonPost/2012/05/16/National-Security/Images/Supply-graphicstory2.jpg

I'd call it your worst nightmare

[Matthew]

Col: "The former Soviet states are getting rich by "solving" this problem temporarily." and

"Looks like the little furry critters are leaving. pl"

Dorothy Parker should have saved you a seat at the Algonquin.

[William R. Cumming]

For the moment let's ignore the long term impacts of the USA efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan and Pakistan impacts on those nation-states! What PL do you believe will be the long term impact [perhaps the next decade?] on the various branches of the US military and DoD establishment? Morale? Fighting capabilities? Policies? Doctrine? Career decisions of officer corps? Future of Arabist linguists and cultural experts in the career military?

No rush just wondering as to best guestimates!

[J]

Colonel,

Speaking of the errant 'furry critters', it appears that these furry critters are intent on goading and waking up a sleeping bear, to the point that the bear become very incensed. NATO is apparently too stupid to see the damage they're doing with their boneheadeness and dumber-n-dirt idiotic missile shield that isn't a shield but a first-strike encirclement aimed at both Russia and China, or are these furry critters really that brain dead?

NATO has become a monster, a monster whom IMO need to be put to sleep before it engulfs our entire planet in a global thermo-nuclear war, all because of their arrogant boneheadness.

Russia test-fires missile amid tensions over NATO defense shield announcement
http://www.cnn.com/2012/05/23/world/europe/russia-missile/index.html?eref=mrss_igoogle_cnn

Oh, and it seem that our Congress doesn't know when to say no to the arrogant Israelis.

US Senate mulls unprecedented aid to Israel
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4233005,00.html

[Tyler]

If this administration is any clue, trying to shove the first female lesbian Chief of Staff down our throats, regardless of qualification.

[turcopolier]

tyler

Have someone in mind? pl

[Paul Deavereaux]

Tyler, I have to ask.. are you prejudiced against male lesbians too?

[mbrenner]

WRC

Umhappily. there is no discernible evidence that the Obama administration has given any thought to what the region will look like once our serial failures register. The same might be said about the foreign policy community in general. That is the consequence of a tunnel vision focus on tactical adjustment and not at all on the warped thinking that led to these tragic engagements. They remain unchallenged in the mainstream discourse. When one lives in a fantasy world for more than a decade, it becomes impossible to think logically about the real world. A week-log alcolhol binge or a prolonged opium session or a LSD trip has the same effect. That's where we're at - except that no one will ever admit that they were living in ga-ga land.

[William R. Cumming]

Thanks to all who responded to my questions! Apparently a book out about the "amateur" who is pretending to be a President and his unpreparedness for the job will be Numero Uno on the NYTimes non fiction hardcover book list this weekend. Wondering how prepared his opponent will be? Was there any rationale for Hillary become Secretary of State and leaving the SENATE other than polishing her megre foreign policy creds for a Presidential run?

Would James Webb make a possible National Security oriented VP candidate for Romney? After all he is on record as a switch hitter!

[J]

Colonel,

I don't think that the boneheads at NATO and their boneheaded missile fiasco are prepared for a 'preemptive' move by Russia. Once upon a mule NATO had their brain cells in order, but these days....I have my serious doubts especially their intentional unnecessary goading of both the Russians and the Chinese.

Sooooo....are they prepared for the ВДВ to gently knock on their doors one day in a preemptive way? I somehow doubt it.

ВДВ посвящается
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vv8CJW1tza4&feature=related

The Russians personnel involved in any preemptive maneuvers will be highly motivated as they will see themselves 'defending/protecting', much like those who defended against the WWII German Nazis, and for whom their yearly 9 May Victory Day parades in order to remind their old and young alike that it could happen again with a new fascist aggressor(modern day NATO), and that one must never let their guard down or be caught napping.
Парад, посвященный Дню Победы (полная версия)
http://www.1tv.ru/news/social/206467

Today's NATO actions are IMO showing those yearly Russian warnings against letting fascist aggression happen again as having some truth in it. Does NATO really serve U.S. interests, or is it playing D.C. for a sucker.

[Tyler]

I dislike everyone equally.

[Tyler]

Not quite, but I imagine "she" is going to be from aviation, what with GEN Cody paving the way and all.