This is a first: US/allies allowed to fly over Russia to A-Stan

Toadman · July 3rd, 2009, 04:05 PM

U.S. troops and weapons bound for Afghanistan will be allowed to fly over Russian territory, providing an important new corridor, the New York Times reported today, citing unidentified Russian and U.S. officials. The agreement will be announced when Obama visits Moscow next week, the Times said.

Bloomberg
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This is interesting. Allowing non-NATO US combat/supply aircraft to fly over Russian airspace is unprecedented. You go Barry-boy!

Chuckiechan · July 3rd, 2009, 04:27 PM

There is no doubt more to the story... Not the least of which is Russia has a huge heroin addiction problem.

Toadman · July 3rd, 2009, 04:49 PM

The easy solution is to destroy or poison the poppy fields. Adios Taliban funding.

But there's $$ to be made. It's not all about oil, is it?

surreal · July 3rd, 2009, 05:19 PM

Does Russia want a country other than Russia to control its peoples?

cyphen · July 3rd, 2009, 08:34 PM

I saw a report the other day that we were getting the Afghan poppy crops to be replaces with regular edible agriculture.

Aside from that, i don't trust the motives of Russia in the slightest. Perhaps this is a way to divide our forces ... let them through, and then cut them off, leaving our troops separated.

tony_j15 · July 3rd, 2009, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Perhaps this is a way to divide our forces ...

and perhaps I have a bridge to sell you.

You and Chuckie could put Tom Clancy out of business if you put all your perhaps's and if's together.

But since we're talking out of our armchair quarterback asses, perhaps Russia is attempting to pressure China, whom they've never had a good relationship with, by showing they are willing to strategically partner with the USA.

cyphen · July 3rd, 2009, 09:13 PM

tony, Russia is run by the old KGB gaurd. And they've always got the bigger picture in mind. It's possible they're just using us to gain some semblance of reasonable authority to assert themselves with a foothold in the region - maybe they're not comfortable with us being so close and want to be able to counter any US base with a Russian base.

Besides, the whole point of this part of the forum is opinion and conjecture. Otherwise, we'd post a story, and just respond: "oh." and it would be "TechiIMOh"