In his interview today with ABC’s “This Week,” Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta suggested that the US and Pakistan are still far apart on a deal for reopening the border into occupied Afghanistan, accusing Pakistan of price gouging by demanding more money for protecting the convoys.
“We’re not about to get gouged in the price. We want a fair price,” Panetta insisted, adding that Pakistan has cost the US money already by closing the border and forcing it to use the more expensive northern route.
Pakistan closed the border to NATO supplies on November 26 in response to a US attack on two Pakistani military bases, which killed 24 people. Pakistan’s parliament initially conditioned reopening the border on the US ending drone strikes and apologizing for the attacks. The US has refused to end the strikes and is only “considering” the apology.
Apparently giving up on that, Pakistan’s government was prepared to reopen the route for a $1,800 per truck fee. Before November the US was paying only $250 per truck, and seems content to use the northern route, even if it costs dramatically more in the long run, to avoid the “price gouging.”
Ha ha. Who you callin a gouger, Uncle Sam, you senile old goat ???
Of course Pakistan will not gouge the United States of America that job has already been taken by KBR!!!!!!!!!!!!
There are many reports over the years of the U.S. being gouged to that extent by the Afghan Government and Afghan warlords. The pricing demanded by the Pakistanis is comparable. More important, the pricing demand is leverage against further drone strikes within the borders of Pakistan that are killing Pakistani civilians.
The U.S. appears unwilling to concede anything, and one wonders when the US will seek regime change in Pakistan to gain a free hand in everything.
The TAPI pipeline is the big prize, and there have already been clandestine efforts by the US to destabilize that region further and detach Baluchistan (through which the pipeline would run) from Pakistan. So, it is already a complicated situation fraught with instability and mistrust between the two countries.
Pakistan should quit cooperation with US and focus on deep relationship with Iran. Its existing ties with China would secure enough its position in Asia and disrupt endless crimes against humanity US comits in Asia. If Pakistan did not have Nukes, it would be "balkanised" alrady. Pity, many pakistani people are very poor, out of tuch with reality. Pakistani "double politic face" will not save them anyway, US will destroy Pakistan in time – its planet in their evil "Project for american century", horrible mess is round the corner and truth Axis of Evil on this planet – US and Israels "Knessets" – are behind future unrest….peter czech
You have hit on a very good point. Furthermore, if Russia were to engineer a coup in Azerbaijan, and Iran became a member of the SCO, the region would become much more stable, and give Iran and Pakistan the breathing room they need to grow their economies (and build the IPI pipeline which would also stabilize the conflict, and improve relations between Pakistan and India.)
The tragedy is that if the U.S. sought a serious and cooperative relationship with Iran (and with Russia and China) the world would be a much more stable and prosperous place for everyone, and the American and Iranian people and economies, and the rest of the region would reap many benefits.
It just goes to show not a single tax dollar is being wasted in these wars, because the Pentagon doesn't allow price-gouging.
(That sentence is so ridiculous on so many levels – ROFL)
I see nothing wrong with that. Man has gotta make a living.