US Leaving Afghanistan Through Romania

DrewBedson · Oct 18, 2013

The United States and Romania appear to be on the brink of securing a key transit agreement as the United States draws down military operations in Afghanistan. Romanian Defense Minister Corneliu Dobritoiu is in Washington on Oct. 18 for talks with U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on using Romania's Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base to facilitate the withdrawal of U.S. troops. The deal offers the United States a practical logistical alternative to its soon-to-expire lease on a transit hub in Kyrgyzstan and would also expand Romanian security ties with the United States, which Bucharest has been seeking for some time.
Analysis

The United States has been searching for logistical and transit options for its ongoing drawdown from Afghanistan since the Kyrgyz government decided to let the U.S. lease of the Manas Air Base expire in July 2014. Manas has been a key hub for U.S. and NATO operations in Afghanistan since the initial invasion of the country in 2001. However, with the United States reducing its military involvement in the country and with pressure from Russia to limit the U.S. presence in Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan became no longer available as a transit option for the U.S. withdrawal.

In the U.S. search for an alternative logistical arrangement, Romania became an attractive option, and negotiations on it replacing Kyrgyzstan have been taking place for the past several months. The country already hosts a "lily-pad" base for the United States, and Kogalniceanu is part of the Northern Distribution Network. Since mid-2013, the air base has served as a key transit hub for U.S. cargo flown directly into Afghanistan. The base already hosts some U.S. military personnel, but their numbers would increase dramatically if Kogalniceanu replaces Manas as the main U.S. transit center. Currently, some 1,500 U.S. troops and contractors are stationed at the air base in Kyrgyzstan.

Read more: U.S. Looks to Romania for Afghan Transit | Stratfor
Follow us: @stratfor on Twitter | Stratfor on Facebook
Click to expand...

Makes sense to me and shows how committed Obama is to getting the hell out of there. I hope the Romanian government is steadfast on this arrangement.

Log in or Sign up

US Leaving Afghanistan Through Romania

DrewBedson Active Member

Share This Page

Log in or Sign up

US Leaving Afghanistan Through Romania

DrewBedson Active Member

Share This Page

Useful Searches