[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 116 (Wednesday, August 1, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1380]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   AFGHANISTAN WITHDRAWAL LOGISTICS AND CAPABILITY OF AZERBAIJAN TO 
                   SUPPORT U.S. MILITARY REQUIREMENTS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, August 1, 2012

  Ms. BORDALLO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of 
my colleagues a very important matter that our military will soon face; 
the logistics of withdrawing our servicemembers and supplies from 
Afghanistan.
   Some 90,000 servicemembers, 100,000 shipping containers and 50,000 
vehicles will need to be transported out of Afghanistan by the end of 
2014 when U.S. and NATO major combat operations come to an end. This 
accumulation has occurred over a decade and the logistics to drawdown 
will be monumental.
   Adding to this challenge is the instability of what has been the 
primary transit route which relies on the cooperation of Pakistan. 
Pakistan only recently reopened the transit routes after having closed 
them in late 2011. We must have safe, reliable, and secure alternative 
ways to move our servicemembers and supplies.
   Azerbaijan is one of several options that provides a reliable 
transit route for over 40% of non-munitions supplies to Afghanistan and 
with the announced closing of Transit Center at Manas (formerly Manas 
Air Base) in Kyrgyzstan, this route will be ever more important.
   Azerbaijan has been a strategic partner and key ally in our efforts 
to combat global terrorism. Azerbaijan was among the first Muslim 
countries to send troops to Afghanistan and Iraq as well as provide 
flyover rights to our military.
   Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in thanking Azerbaijan 
for their friendship and partnership. I hope we continue to work with 
Azerbaijan to make certain our servicemembers have a safe and secure 
route for the supplies they need for their well-being while we are 
still in Afghanistan. It is also essential that we continue to partner 
with Azerbaijan to ensure we have reliable ways to safely withdraw by 
the end of 2014.

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