US proposal to donate MRAPs to Pakistan exposes Kabul rift

[Edevelop]

ISLAMABAD - The United States is considering donating some of its 1200 Mine-Resistant Ambush-Protected Vehicles known as MRAPs in Afghanistan to neighbouring Pakistan after considering the high cost of transporting the vehicles out of the country when the NATO-led combat mission in Afghanistan formally comes to an end in December.
However, the proposal has drawn strong opposition from authorities in Kabul, who state that all of the equipment should remain in their country, reported Voice of America (VOA) on Friday. The excess equipment, worth billions of dollars, includes the heavily armored MRAPs that American military commanders believe will have limited strategic value after serving in the Afghan mission for over a decade.
The American commander of international forces in Afghanistan, General Josef Dunford, disclosed details of the proposed plans last week while testifying before US Senate Armed Services Committee.
“It costs us little less than $10,000 to destroy an MRAP, it costs us somewhere between $50,000 and $100,000 to actually move that MRAP,” he said. “If we wanted to give it to another country that country would have to accept the MRAPs as is where is. In other words they would have to pay for anything to get that vehicle serviceable again and also to move that vehicle to their country. We are looking at alternatives to provide these vehicles to partners to include Afghanistan, Pakistan and other partners that have participated in operations with us right now.”
Pakistani defence officials declined to discuss details of their talks with US officials on the subject but said that they would like to receive the MRAPs to better protect troops fighting domestic Taliban insurgents.
However, the US proposed plans have outraged leaders and lawmakers in Afghanistan. They have accused Washington of violating its strategic partnership agreement with Kabul by offering the military equipment to Islamabad without consulting with the Afghan government. Presidential spokesman Aimal Faizi stated his country will strongly oppose any move to deliver the military hardware to Pakistan. He said that Kabul was expecting coalition forces to leave it for the Afghan security forces.
Afghan media and some lawmakers have gone on to demand the US immediately suspend any such talks with Pakistan, accusing Islamabad of sponsoring terrorism in their country. Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Tasnim Aslam, says Afghan criticism is uncalled for, because of the steep sacrifices that Pakistan has made in fighting terrorism.
“Over 40,000 of our nationals including members of the security forces have rendered ultimate sacrifice in the fight against terrorism,” she noted. “Any attempt to depict Pakistan as other than a victim of terrorism is a travesty and we completely reject it. It is disconcerting that such injurious statements are being made at a time when sincere efforts are under way to turn a new page in the bilateral relations with Afghanistan.”
Chairman of Afghan Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, Arifullah Pashtun,said that the proposed US plans have upset people in Afghanistan and he has conveyed these concerns to commanders of international forces.
He told VOA that American military officials assured him that while discussions are underway no final decision has been made to give the military equipment to Pakistan.

US proposal to donate MRAPs to Pakistan exposes Kabul rift

 

[SHAMK9]

"Exposes Kabul's extreme butt hurt condition"

 

[nomi007]

GOOD FOR US

 

[Mir Shahzain]

I've heard that these MRAPs vehicles need alot of maintenance and in normal situation their maintenance needs alot of money as well......if it is true then why we are eager to receive these MRAPs ???

 

[American Pakistani]

Such a beautiful truck these MRAPs are.

 

[arushbhai]

I've heard that these MRAPs vehicles need alot of maintenance and in normal situation their maintenance needs alot of money as well......if it is true then why we are eager to receive these MRAPs ???

We are actually not eager to receive these trucks. In fact even if these trucks are donated to Pakistan, they wont be used to move forces around. We will probably get around 10-15 and those will be used to transport high ranking military officials. These trucks are garbage and were simply made out of pure desperation by the Americans. They wanted something that could protect them from everything as the troops were paranoid and scared from everything that moved around them in Afg. Pakistan doesn't need these trucks but I know pak will get some

 

[BATMAN]

I've heard that these MRAPs vehicles need alot of maintenance and in normal situation their maintenance needs alot of money as well......if it is true then why we are eager to receive these MRAPs ???

I guess, US also have an explosive formula to blow those vehicles as well.
I also, believe that the vehicle shown in the pictures are not what is left over.
Last but not the least, it was Pakistani tax payers who were supplying fuel for those vehicles, since last 10 years... you should know... that there is no oil refinery in Afghanistan... we' talking of $billions transit aid and more billions to repair the roads.

Here's the main supply route:

 

[VCheng]

it was Pakistani tax payers who were supplying fuel for those vehicles, since last 10 years

Wrong. ISAF paid for the fuel supplied by Pakistan to Afghanistan in full.

 

[BATMAN]

Wrong. ISAF paid for the fuel supplied by Pakistan to Afghanistan in full.

wrong nothing is paid to General Musharraf govt..... and you paid some amount only after salal attack, when your free transit was blocked.
It should be clear to every Pakistani, that each truck passing through Pakistan, cost Pakistan tax payers around, $20K.
Most of the roads are build by IMF loans and we have to pay the debts while US and Indians in Afghanistan get subsidized fuel from Pakistan. This has been on going since last 12 years.

If US was in paying mode, than it would never buy from Pakistan, it would rather buy from Turkmenistan or Russia etc. US do not count Pakistan as friend!

 

[Mir Shahzain]

We are actually not eager to receive these trucks. In fact even if these trucks are donated to Pakistan, they wont be used to move forces around. We will probably get around 10-15 and those will be used to transport high ranking military officials. These trucks are garbage and were simply made out of pure desperation by the Americans. They wanted something that could protect them from everything as the troops were paranoid and scared from everything that moved around them in Afg. Pakistan doesn't need these trucks but I know pak will get some

Afghan government is protesting to US for dialogues over military equipment given to Pakistan....They want this equipment in other word they want to give this equipment to Taliban by their own hands....when they know about the capabilities of Afghan Army, I am surprise how they are demanding these MRAPs and other sensitive defence equipment

 

[Pakistanisage]

We should bring only what we consider useable and leave rest of the Junk behind for the Afghans and Taliban.

 

[Thəorətic Muslim]

I've heard that these MRAPs vehicles need alot of maintenance and in normal situation their maintenance needs alot of money as well......if it is true then why we are eager to receive these MRAPs ???

In fact even if these trucks are donated to Pakistan, they wont be used to move forces around. We will probably get around 10-15 and those will be used to transport high ranking military officials. These trucks are garbage and were simply made out of pure desperation by the Americans. They wanted something that could protect them from everything as the troops were paranoid and scared from everything that moved around them in Afg. Pakistan doesn't need these trucks but I know pak will get some

Remember "America lacks the stomach for an Empire", the American public will not accept American Military causalities that can not be backed up with a sense of accomplishment of some worthwhile objective. I will agree that the MRAPs were out of desperation to save American Public opinion about involvement in Afghanistan. Remember that we only got into Afghanistan to take out Al-Qaida, and the Taliban only came into our scopes because they wouldn't hand him over. So it was a win-win for Bush bomb out terrorist and spread democracy. There is much opposition to remain in Afghanistan after 2014, let along have some Spec Ops or Advisers stay.

As far as your accusation of being 'Garage' that is utterly false. They are worthy transport vehicles, and have saved hundreds of lives. Our enemies in Afghanistan had to change their tactics and IED specs to begin taking out these beasts. American troops 'paranoid and scared'? Really?

I never heard about any US force surrendering in Afghanistan Mr. @arushbhai. I have heard about plenty of Pakistani units surrendering.

Why don't you go learn something before getting called out?

 

[DESERT FIGHTER]

Remember "America lacks the stomach for an Empire", the American public will not accept American Military causalities that can not be backed up with a sense of accomplishment of some worthwhile objective. I will agree that the MRAPs were out of desperation to save American Public opinion about involvement in Afghanistan. Remember that we only got into Afghanistan to take out Al-Qaida, and the Taliban only came into our scopes because they wouldn't hand him over. So it was a win-win for Bush bomb out terrorist and spread democracy. There is much opposition to remain in Afghanistan after 2014, let along have some Spec Ops or Advisers stay.

As far as your accusation of being 'Garage' that is utterly false. They are worthy transport vehicles, and have saved hundreds of lives. Our enemies in Afghanistan had to change their tactics and IED specs to begin taking out these beasts. American troops 'paranoid and scared'? Really?

People here are thinking "used n abused aka useless,blown out junk"... which isnt true.. and if PA goes for it .. im sure they wont be stupid to take junk... rather workable vehicles...

I never heard about any US force surrendering in Afghanistan Mr. @arushbhai. I have heard about plenty of Pakistani units surrendering.

Why don't you go learn something before getting called out?

No military units surrendered except for 1 incident during peace talks/ceasefire... n they were court martialed... also despite having access to one of the most sophisticated equipment/systems n billions of $$ ... US troops couldnt really achieve the main target.. AQ was screwed just after US invaded Afghanistan... Taliban became the main enemy/objective n guess what the result is?

 

[Nadi]

wrong nothing is paid to General Musharraf govt..... and you paid some amount only after salal attack, when your free transit was blocked.
It should be clear to every Pakistani, that each truck passing through Pakistan, cost Pakistan tax payers around, $20K.
Most of the roads are build by IMF loans and we have to pay the debts while US and Indians in Afghanistan get subsidized fuel from Pakistan. This has been on going since last 12 years.

If US was in paying mode, than it would never buy from Pakistan, it would rather buy from Turkmenistan or Russia etc. US do not count Pakistan as friend!

One wonders what you have been smoking. Google something called the Coalition Support Fund; from which the United States pays Pakistan upto $1bil every year in addition to what the Americans pay for their own fuel and Pakistani truck drivers to take that fuel to Afghanistan.

Why the hell would Americans buy from Turkmenistan or Russia when that supply route costs Americans 2x and 3x to get their supplies in to Afghanistan compared to Karachi route?!?!? One wonders if you have done any research or are just making empty claims based on reading of too much garbage evening Urdu newspapers at a traffic stop somewhere in Pakistan.

I'm a Pakistani too, but that doesn't give us the license to be blind in patriotism and make nonsensical claims. Americans pay for their stuff, United States is not Pakistan. Thats the bottom line.