The Great Game continues.
Readers of this blog know that I’ve been following the precarious logistical chain supporting our people in Afghanistan. That country is, of course, landlocked and until fairly recently our main resupply route was through Pakistan and the Khyber Pass. The route has been under attack by Taliban insurgents in the western tribal areas of the Pak, which made finding another resupply route a top priority.
It also made Manas AFB in Kyrgyzstan even more important. It had been announced earlier this year that the Kyrgyz parliament had ordered Manas’ closure after receiving a promise of $2 billion in Russian assistance. Naturally, the Russians wanted us out or at the very least wanted the US at Russia’s mercy when it came to Afghan resupply.
Now it’s reported that Kyrgyzstan will permit Manas to remain open for the rather paltry sum of $180 million in cash. From Reuters, via the Moscow Times:
CAIRO, Egypt — A Kyrgyz deal with the United States to keep a U.S. air base open was agreed with Russia, a Kremlin official said Thursday.
“We support all steps aimed at stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan,” said the official accompanying President Dmitry Medvedev in Egypt.
But Kommersant quoted an unidentified Russian diplomat as saying Moscow felt that it had been tricked by Kyrgyzstan over the base and would make an “adequate response” to the deal.
The United States has agreed to pay $180 million to keep open the Manas air base after haggling with Kyrgyzstan since February, when the country secured pledges of $2 billion from Russia and announced its closure.
Kyrgyzstan’s ruling party said Wednesday that it had approved the agreement with the United States to keep the Manas air base open.
So, what gives? How did we out-bribe the Russians for such a miserable sum? While the Russians are trying to put the best possible face on this, my guess is that cash-strapped Russia wasn’t able to come up with the money they’d promised – which left the US to play hardball with the equally cash-strapped Kyrgyzs. Which goes to show that we should try to find allies who’ll stay bought.
Older posts about Manas and Kyrgyzstan here, here, here and here.
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