Hydrablog

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/14/world/asia/pakistan-supply-detour-costs-100-million-a-month.html
June 13, 2012
Pakistan: Supply Detour Costs $100 Million a Month
By THOM SHANKER [Obama white house] [112th congress, 2nd session] [NSC principals … bureaucracy] [GSAVE in AfPak] [Obama tried to time his strategic framework with Afghanistan for this meeting] [use psci 355-455] [however, it looks like Pakistan wants to demonstrate its anger to prevent the meeting from success?] [other signs suggest Pakistan is close to reopening supply lines?] [followup, May 20] [truth is this roller coaster has heaved toward rapproachment then renewed disruption for months] [*]
Pakistan’s closing of NATO’s ground supply routes to Afghanistan has added about $100 million a month to the costs of the Afghan war, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta told Congress on Wednesday. Mr. Panetta, left, said the added expenses were a result of using the longer northern route to supply the military and carry out the American drawdown in Afghanistan. Pakistan closed NATO’s supply routes across its border in November after an American airstrike mistakenly killed 24 Pakistani soldiers at a frontier outpost. Talks with Pakistan to reopen the route have stalemated. Mr. Panetta also said he would advise Congress on recommendations to deal with Pakistan in the future, including on the question of American financial assistance to Islamabad.