Posted on 07/04/2009 11:30:43 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russia will grant President Barack Obama permission next week to ship U.S. weapons supplies across its territory, or through its airspace, en route to Afghanistan, sources on both sides told Reuters on Saturday.
The transit deal will open up an important corridor for the United States as it steps up its Afghan war against Taliban insurgents by sending in more troops. Routes via Pakistan have come under attack by militants.
It will be one of the main agreements signed during Obama's Moscow summit next week with Kremlin chief Dmitry Medvedev, the sources said.
"The agreement will include the transit of all U.S. goods, including military ones (to Afghanistan)," a senior Kremlin source told Reuters.
A U.S. source confirmed the deal would be signed and said it would mark a step forward in cooperation on Afghanistan, which Russia views as a key area where both the former Cold War foes can work together to mend ties.
It was not immediately clear if the deal would allow the United States to fly troops over Russian territory to Afghanistan.
Medvedev has repeatedly said he is ready to widen cooperation with U.S.-led coalition and NATO forces in Afghanistan, though Moscow has ruled out sending any of its own troops to fight.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Retreat route used by the Soviet Army?
Exactly what I thought.
That’s interesting. We’ve seen the tip above the surface, now where’s the rest of the ice berg?
Ay some point, thet cannot help but reap some good signal intel from our ops over their airspace.
This is chilling.
A few months the Russians coerced the Central Asian Countries that were giving us transit to stop and now we are going to be shipping through Russia.
Watch a few months down the line, after we are dependent on that route for the Russians to make demands on us holding our troops, at the end of a tenuous supply line for ransom.
When the Taliban controlled Afghanistan, it was part of their grand plan to extend the “Caliphate” north of Afghanistan, into the former Soviet states that are majority Muslim (where they had some support), and then into Russia itself. That is why Russia gave the US support and intelligence when we first sent troops into Afghanistan in 2001; and why Russia is not averse to seeing the Taliban weakened now. It’s in their own interest.
He’s got notes written on his hand?
Poor man’s teleprompter?
And they wonder why countries are hesitant to back us.
The Northern Alliance in Afghanistan was supported by Russia, years before 9/11.
Yes. I can see why Russia would want US troops to be transported to Afghanistan through Russia itself rather than through one of the Central Asian states. This way, Russia can keep a better eye on them and maintain more control over them. Russia was afraid of the US getting too much influence in Central Asia.
And so it begins...
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