US government is using the media to downplay the affect of Pakistani blockade. But the G.I.s want their fried chicken, Mr. Panetta.
The US military is doing its best to downplay the effect of Pakistani blockade on US and NATO supplies bound for Afghanistan. You can see Pentagon spokespersons almost every day using a variation of the same theme: ‘Oh it doesn’t affect us’, or ‘we’ve made arrangements’ or ‘important supplies don’t go through that route.’
The truth is that more than half of US supplies, everything from Special-Ops gear to ammunition to French fries, pass through the critical Pakistani supply line.
While US military and CIA won’t reveal how much they are hurting because of the Pakistani blockade, which came into effect after a deliberate US attack killed 24 Pakistani soldiers, there are signs that US soldiers are beginning to feel the pinch.
US soldiers can stay quiet over shortages in fuel and ammunition [it’s good since they don’t have to go out fight as often], they can’t stand that fried chicken and French fries are fast disappearing from the menus on American bases in Afghanistan.
Some US soldiers who completed their tour of duty and left Afghanistan but remain in touch with colleagues are reporting some minor hardships. Some of them are servicemen who are opposed to the US war in Afghanistan. Almost all of them are using social media to get the message out.
Twitter is abuzz with messages from soldiers who served in Afghanistan recounting how tough it was for them when Islamabad blocked supplies in October 2010 after an earlier deliberate US attack killed Pakistani soldiers at a border post.
And now comes this picture. It’s not clear where or when it was taken but it shows a Popeye’s fried chicken outlet at a US base in Afghanistan giving a shutdown notice due to the blockade.
Frankly, I don’t feel sorry for them….why should any of us “support the troops” when they will very shortly be the same troops who are kicking our doors in and arresting us without warrant or charge simply because we got on the internet and told Kenya-monkey, Ovomit and the damned congress to take their NDAA S 1867 and shove it right where angels fear to tread and seagulls don’t quite fit?