U.S. feels effects of halt in shipments (trucker boycott strains supplies)

[Barrett808]

BAGHDAD -- The U.S. military was said to be feeling the results of a boycott by truckers of cargo to coalition units in Iraq.

Iraqi sources said U.S. combat units outside of Baghdad have experienced a slowdown in shipments of food, water and supplies over the past few days. The sources said the units most affected have been in the Sunni Triangle and Anbar province near the Syrian border.

Last week, Turkey's leading truckers association announced it was ending cargo transports to the U.S. military. The association's announcement came after the Tawhid and Jihad group of Abu Mussib Al Zarqawi executed a Turkish national who worked in a U.S. military base in northern Iraq.

The sources said the supplies to the U.S. military to southern Iraq began to dry up over the last week. They said Asian truck drivers, particularly Indian and Filipino nationals, refused to transport supplies from Kuwait to U.S. forces in Iraq.

http://www.menewsline.com/stories/2004/august/08_10_2.html

[madrchsod]

1. hmmmm

let`s see-the army can`t supply itself because the supply lines are cut..just how fuck`n stupid are these guys who are running this operation? didn`t any of them read the history of warfare? look at the map guys-----the cities are surrounded by a SEA OF SAND!!!

[Gloria]

2. In an article I posted a few WMW's ago, apparently the Saudis

have also stopped. Over 200 trucks approved but not going in. The Saudis have been bringing OIL into Iraq....Also, Jordanians not going. And now that a Lebanese have been kidnapped and held, Lebanese truckers are considering stopping, as per a BBC report a late last week via the World Service....haven't found anything in print on that yet....

Biggest problem is that the drivers are protected going INTO the country...but once they drop their loads, they are expected to drive back unprotected.....which, understandably, is not to their liking at all!

[amandabeech]

3. I saw that, Gloria.

Thank you for posting it.

After reading that article, the post today is not terribly surprising.

Civilians cannot be ordered to drive supply trucks. They only can be enticed by money. The same situation holds with respect to construction and food services.

In previous wars, supply trucks were driven by military personnel. The drivers had to go, and the military really had to offer them protection.

Rumsfeld's drive for privitization of every function in the military aside from combat troops may not work in a war zone.

It wouldn't surprise me if our troops had to retreat to Baghdad because they cannot be supplied overland.

Of course, the media would report that the retreat signifies that the outlying areas had been pacified. After the retreat, it won't be long before the choppers start lifting people off the roof of the U.S. embassy.

[gratuitous]

7. Absolutely spot-on, amandabeech

When the supply lines are in danger, the limits of privatization become crystal clear, even to the PNAC pnut brains. No supplies, no troops. Empire gone. Dominion . . . over.

Drizzle, drazzle, drozzle, drum
Time for this one to come home.

[daleo]

4. A boycott by truckers or a siege by the resistance?

A related article said that re-supply by air was becoming necessary. Not a good sign - think of Stalingrad or Khe Sahn (sp?).

[amandabeech]

5. The Berlin Airlift?

Do you have a link to this story, daleo? Re-supply by air takes a lot of eqipment, particularly if you are airlifting fuel as well as food and ammo. It can't go on forever.

[daleo]

6. There is only a brief allusion in the story, but here it is:

"Iraqi sources said U.S. combat units outside of Baghdad have experienced a slowdown in shipments of food, water and supplies over the past few days.

The sources said the U.S. military was increasing flights by air transports to Baghdad and Basra to ensure supplies for U.S. troops."

http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/breaking_3.html

It could still be minor, or this could be shedding a bit of light on a much larger situation. It is hard to say, with the lack of reliable news coming out of Iraq now.

[amandabeech]

8. Thanks Daleo.

It does sound like sufficient truck convoys are either not getting through or are not available. Airlifting supplies is the least efficient if you have to do anything in bulk, and airlifts use a huge amount of fuel.