Another fist clenches

Kyrgyzstan cuts key U.S. lifeline to fight Afghan war

WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 (UPI) — The Central Asian nation of Kyrgyzstan has cut America’s most important supply lifeline into Afghanistan right after President Barack Obama ordered 17,000 more U.S. troops to be sent there.

The Parliament of Kyrgyzstan voted Thursday to evict the United States from Manas Air Base outside the capital Bishkek. The United States will have 180 days to evacuate the facilities and lose its key refueling base to supply forces in Afghanistan.

This pending expulsion of U.S. forces from Manas is a huge humiliation for the United States in Central Asia and marks a sea change in Russia’s attitude toward the long-running U.S. and NATO war against the Taliban and al-Qaida in Afghanistan. It also serves notice that Obama’s “surge” policy in Afghanistan is in dire trouble even as he launches it.