Feed the bear

Posted By Thomas E. Ricks Tuesday, February 10, 2009 - 10:37 PM Share

The Russians are being all nice about letting the U.S. military ship gear through its territory to Afghanistan.

Next step: This time, try to keep the pilferage rate below 30 percent, OK? (Those of you who followed Afghanistan logistics issues back in the spring of 2002 know what I mean.)

The more I think about it, the more Russia is acting like Pakistan -- a difficult, nuclear-armed Third World country run by small, undemocratic group.

EXPLORE:PAKISTAN, RUSSIA

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POSTGAL

5:40 AM ET

February 11, 2009

Who cares?

Where is Madame Secretary?

YCILOPNGIEROF

4:36 PM ET

February 11, 2009

Madam Sec

Tom, love your blog. Can you ask the folks at FP when they're going to run madam secretary again?

ROSEANN

11:15 PM ET

February 11, 2009

Roseann

Is there some parallel in ancient Rome that you might reference here? (You can't overdo the Roman history insights for me on your blog!)

7:05 AM ET

February 13, 2009

Just acting in its self-interest

It’s easy to see why the Russians would allow the US to ship through its territory. It allows Russia increased leverage in opposing US/NATO interests in the region--e.g., missile defense, NATO expansion, etc. This is just one step closer to Russia reestablishing regional hegemony; and with the recent resurgence of nationalism the population will happily go along.

One has to wonder what the US’s Plan B is when Russia decides to exercise its leverage.

Thucydides was right: fear, honor and interest.

NILS_GILMAN

10:16 AM ET

February 13, 2009

Upper Volta with Missiles

Russia has always been a nuclear-armed third world country. "Upper Volta with missiles" was how Helmut Schmidt described it. Let's just hope that it doesn't turn into North Korea with oil.

TRADEMARK1013

3:32 PM ET

February 13, 2009

Another option

Step 1. Sort out problems with Iran (yes, yes...not exactly a day's work, but...)
Step 2. Use the Iranian port of Chabahar
Step 3. Use the road the Indians just completed from Chabahar into Afghanistan as yet another alternate route (with oil revenues down, the Iranians might be willing to guarantee security).
Step 3b. Alternately, use this alternate route as leverage with the Pakistanis who are not happy about this search for an alternate route or the Russians for that matter [start a competition -- i. who can help with security the most, ii. who pilfers the least]

KRISH

3:19 AM ET

February 18, 2009

We just better be nice. Or else....

along with pilferage they might "leak" a few (insert russky word for Stinger missile here). Mirror image. Bizarro.