Best Defense
Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

Feed the bear

The Russians are being all nice about letting the U.S. military ship gear through its territory to Afghanistan. Next step: This time, try to keep the pilferage rate below 30 percent, OK? (Those of you who followed Afghanistan logistics issues back in the spring of 2002 know what I mean.) The more I think about ...

588630_090210_Pushkar-bear_resizedb2.jpg
588630_090210_Pushkar-bear_resizedb2.jpg

The Russians are being all nice about letting the U.S. military ship gear through its territory to Afghanistan.

Next step: This time, try to keep the pilferage rate below 30 percent, OK? (Those of you who followed Afghanistan logistics issues back in the spring of 2002 know what I mean.)

The more I think about it, the more Russia is acting like Pakistan -- a difficult, nuclear-armed Third World country run by small, undemocratic group.

The Russians are being all nice about letting the U.S. military ship gear through its territory to Afghanistan.

Next step: This time, try to keep the pilferage rate below 30 percent, OK? (Those of you who followed Afghanistan logistics issues back in the spring of 2002 know what I mean.)

The more I think about it, the more Russia is acting like Pakistan — a difficult, nuclear-armed Third World country run by small, undemocratic group.

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1
Tags: Pakistan, Russia

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