Supply lines under fire

The prospect of a base closing in Kyrgyzstan raises questions about how to supply Afghanistan

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Last week Kyrgyzstan's parliament voted overwhelmingly to close the Manas base, which has been a key transit point for U.S.-led fighting in nearby Afghanistan.

Deborah Lutterbeck reports from Washington

STORY:

A remote-controlled bomb explodes in the center of Kandahar, killing one Afghan civilian, and wounding five other people.

About 4,000 people, more than a quarter of them civilians, were killed in Afghanistan last year as militants extended the scope and size of their attacks.

US President Barack Obama has already pledged to send an extra 17,000 more American soldiers into the Afghan theater, in an effort to stem the growing violence. The move comes as policymakers continue to craft a new strategy for Afghanistan.

Added to the mix now, the last U.S. air base in the Central Asia could be shut down. Last week Kyrgyzstan's parliament voted overwhelmingly to close the Manas base, which has been a key transit point for U.S.-led fighting in nearby Afghanistan.

David Rittgers of the Cato Institute.

SOUNDBITE: David Rittgers of the Cato Institute, saying (English):

"It is unclear how this will impact the game plan as we are ramping up now, adding 17,000 more, but certainly it will put some logistical; stress on forces there."

Others note that there is more than one way to resupply Afghanistan.

Nato's Brigadier General Richard Blanchette in Kabul was made available Reuters by the Pentagon.

SOUNDBITE: Nato's Brigadier General Richard Blanchette, saying (English):

"Whether we are talking about the closure of a base, or an attack on a series of trucks or in a parking lot in Pakistan, all of these actions could be compared to shoveling water out of a river -- there are so many source bringing resources in here that it doesn't make a difference You can still use the water at the other end, because enough is always coming in."

Washington was handed its formal eviction for the Mansa base on February 20, giving the US military six months to leave.

Deborah Lutterbeck, Reuters