Pakistan Reopens Afghan Border to NATO
Interior Minister Declares 'Victory' Over Apologies
Pakistan’s government today reopened the Khyber Pass border crossing to NATO traffic, ending a week and a half of closure that kept hundreds of trucks stranded along the key supply route for troops in Afghanistan.
Pakistan closed the border on September 30 in protest after NATO attack helicopters crossed the border and attacked a military post, killing three troops and wounding three others. At the time NATO and US officials defended the killings as “self defense,” but they later issued apologies.
Which seems to be all the Pakistani government wanted, as Interior Minister Rehman Malik said the apologies were a “victory” for the Pakistani government on the issue. He also warned NATO not to repeat its cross-border raids.
NATO launched several attacks over a few days in late September, killing scores of Pakistanis. Though they have not launch helicopter attacks since, the US has continued to launch daily drone strikes against Pakistan’s tribal regions, killing large numbers of tribesmen.
Last 5 posts by Jason Ditz
- No Deal: US Restarted Pakistan Drone Strikes Despite Objections - February 22nd, 2012
- Syrian National Council Demands Foreign Invasion - February 22nd, 2012
- State Dept.: Pakistani Taliban 'Not Welcome' at Truce Talks - February 22nd, 2012
- Israeli FM: Our Decision to Attack Iran None of US, Russia's Business - February 22nd, 2012
- Hunger Strike Ends, but Adnan's Detention Without Charges Doesn't - February 22nd, 2012
Tonbridge
October 10th, 2010 at 8:20 pm
Your tax dollars at work. Why bother to move the goods when you can sell the petrol on the black market and torch the tanker.
The Pakistani police say they have registered at least three claims against NATO contractors and their staff for torching their own containers. "Some evidence shows that contractors bombed their tankers themselves for some reasons," an owner of vehicles supplying US-led troops in Afghanistan, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Xinhua on Saturday. The Pakistani police say there is evidence that bombs have been planted in many of the vehicles by the "NATO contractors" or their staff, who have been contracted by NATO to supply fuel and goods to forces in Afghanistan. An oil tanker owner from Nowshera named Dost Mohammad said a NATO contractor had recently been caught trying to plant a bomb under an oil tanker. "This happened in the area of Paiyee, when he was putting the bomb under the vehicle,” he added. He stated that the contractor had apparently sold off the fuel first, adding, "Only 2,000 liters from the original 50,000 liters had been left in the tanker to cover up the crime."
Valerianus
October 11th, 2010 at 3:27 pm
The Pakistanis are deluding themselves that the FedGov will back off. No, the Yankees will increase the attacks in Pakistan, just to show them who's boss. Furthermore, the Americans won't forget the Pakistani impertinence in impeding the logistical flow.
JLS
October 11th, 2010 at 3:50 pm
I don't know Valerianus. Pakistan is not like the British or Germans or any of the other of America's lapdogs. I think they have some pride and resent taking orders from Washington. But its kind of their own fault for taking Washington's bribe money or foreign aid. Once you accept money from America, they think they own you and can run your country.