Afghan surge poses logistical headache for U.S. army

Yahoo News ^ | December 6, 2009 | Daphne Benoit

[AlaskaErik]

WASHINGTON (AFP) – President Barack Obama's order to surge 30,000 troops into Afghanistan presents the US military with a giant logistical challenge as it faces some of the most forbidding terrain in the world.

With few paved roads and a vast, rugged landscape, moving soldiers and equipment into Afghanistan "is a bigger challenge than certainly was the case in Iraq," Defense Secretary Robert Gates said last month.

Fulfilling Obama's vow to send troops at the "fastest pace possible," the first units of the buildup are due to arrive within two to three weeks, and the military plans to have all the reinforcements in place by the end of next summer.

The Pentagon carried out a similar surge two years ago in Iraq, where it could take advantage of a port, an excellent road network and vast US base in neighboring Kuwait.

[AlaskaErik]

Calling this a headache is to really understate the extent of the problem. I've flown all over Afghanistan on resupply missions and in country resupply is the least of the challenges. It's an even bigger headache just to get supplies into the country.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Freepmail.

[Mr Rogers]

I was there when they beefed our troops up by 1 brigade - that was a mess. This should be worse...

[IDontLikeToPayTaxes]

I just got back a month ago myself.

Afghanistan is certainly tough terrain, but if the USA could supply its forces in the Pacific over 60 years ago in an island hopping campaign, we can do it in Afghanistan.