Comments on: Ingress to Afghanistan http://www.captainsjournal.com/2008/08/08/ingress-to-afghanistan/ News & Commentary on Warfare, Policy and Counterterrorism Thu, 04 Dec 2008 00:29:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Dawg http://www.captainsjournal.com/2008/08/08/ingress-to-afghanistan/#comment-26343 Dawg Sat, 09 Aug 2008 12:38:35 +0000 http://www.captainsjournal.com/?p=1230#comment-26343 India has quite good relations with Iran and buys a lot of oil from the iranians. The road would primarily be for THEIR goods, not NATO and certainly not US supplies. For Iran it is good for business, and, it gives them leverage over both India and to a certain degree, Afghanistan, if needed. America needs to focus more on Balochistan, both regarding Iran, but also Pakistan. Iran is quite vulnerable with at least three sizeable minorities, such as the Kurds, Baloch and Arabs. None of them like the majority (51%) Persians and want independence from them. The Arabs are mainly in Kuzestan, not too far from Iraq. That is, by the way, where most of Iran's oil reserves are. I think Balochistan is part of the "key" to securing Afghsnistan. Get the Baloch on our side - independence perhaps - and things get better in Afghanistan. For the moment, Pakistan is something of a "Gordian knot" for us, regarding Afghanistan and the entire War. Also, something SUSTAINED nedds to be done in the FATA as well as in the Waziristans. Peshawar needs to be secured, as well as Quetta and more rural areas such as Miran Shah, etc. Takes a lot of Troops, though. And political courage. India has quite good relations with Iran and buys a lot of oil from the iranians. The road would primarily be for THEIR goods, not NATO and certainly not US supplies. For Iran it is good for business, and, it gives them leverage over both India and to a certain degree, Afghanistan, if needed.
America needs to focus more on Balochistan, both regarding Iran, but also Pakistan. Iran is quite vulnerable with at least three sizeable minorities, such as the Kurds, Baloch and Arabs. None of them like the majority (51%) Persians and want independence from them. The Arabs are mainly in Kuzestan, not too far from Iraq. That is, by the way, where most of Iran’s oil reserves are. I think Balochistan is part of the “key” to securing Afghsnistan. Get the Baloch on our side - independence perhaps - and things get better in Afghanistan. For the moment, Pakistan is something of a “Gordian knot” for us, regarding Afghanistan and the entire War.
Also, something SUSTAINED nedds to be done in the FATA as well as in the Waziristans. Peshawar needs to be secured, as well as Quetta and more rural areas such as Miran Shah, etc. Takes a lot of Troops, though. And political courage.

]]> By: Slab http://www.captainsjournal.com/2008/08/08/ingress-to-afghanistan/#comment-26334 Slab Fri, 08 Aug 2008 12:03:23 +0000 http://www.captainsjournal.com/?p=1230#comment-26334 I'm no foreign policy or poli-sci expert, but I would venture that India is looking to increase her influence in Afghanistan. The road has nothing to do with support to NATO, it has everything to do with increasing India's standing in Afghanistan. <a href="http://westhawk.blogspot.com/2008/08/indias-anaconda-plan.html" rel="nofollow">Westhawk</a> has a good analysis of the current situation between India and Afghanistan. I’m no foreign policy or poli-sci expert, but I would venture that India is looking to increase her influence in Afghanistan. The road has nothing to do with support to NATO, it has everything to do with increasing India’s standing in Afghanistan.

Westhawk has a good analysis of the current situation between India and Afghanistan.

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