Will allow US combat aircraft to attack Afgainstan from their bases now.  The damage we have inflicted and the presence of the 10th Mountain Division as protection has convinced them that it is safe to allow them to permit us to use their facilities.

This means that we should be able to now send in A-10's, F-16's, and C-130's to operate in support of the NA. Tajiks have a ex-Soviet airbase only 300 mi as the crow flies from Kabul

probably less than building a base

raf, some of these coalition countries have been reluctant to grant support because they have large populations of radical Muslims within their borders who could overthrow them.

They remember the US's lack of resolve dealing with Iraq.  They don't want to be left hanging there with a pissed off and undefeated neighbor like what happened in Desert Storm!

DaMan

Link; [url]http://dailynews.yahoo.com/h/nm/20011008/wl/attack_tajikistan_dc_1.html[/url]

They are way too poor to be a ally, they dont have anything to fight with.

Just letting us use their bases for combat in Afganistan is pleanty of help. We can help the NA take the airbases in the north they are trying to attack, then move in there, perhaps with the 101st AAD? Plus use then to support spec ops across the country.

Would like to see some Warthogs deliver their brand of OH SHIT in Afganistan!!

You guys seem to forget -- Tajikistan is a former Soviet Empire "republic".  Russia is still "protecting" them by stirring up trouble, basing troops in them, and forcing one "republic" against another so that they have to rely on Moscow.

One of the main reasons these places have refused cooperation is because Moscow has told them "don't even think about it."

I'm very surprised that they have allied themselves with the U.S. -- they're facing trouble on three fronts now, after all: (1) Islamist terrorists, (2) internal power struggles, and (3) Moscow's anger.

Be nice to them.  The people who approved this have stuck their necks way the hell out, especially considering how stoutly and honorably the U.S. (under Bush the First) supported the Kurdish opposition (now deceased) after the sudden end of the Gulf War against Iraq.*

* Or as Bush the First might have said, "Kurds?  What Kurds??  You mean like Little Miss Muffet?"

Why do you perceive Moscow as your enemy, Achmed? They went diplomatic 10 years ago. Moscow has offered help time and again, but America wants no love between us. why when the Eastern bloc is offering help do you distrust them? They have had plenty of experience dealing with terrorism from Afghanistan and Chechen rebels. The Chechens finance their terrorism by kidnapping wealthy Muscovites and mailing fingers and toes to family members for huge sums of money which they use to carbomb Moscow. Learn the language, read their newspapers, and you will know that the Russian people do not hate us. In your computer you have already the programming to translate languages. Don't be ignorant. Its contagious!

I'm not going by my "perception", I'm pointing out the simple fact that several reports have mentioned that Putin's government has told its "former republics", quite strongly, [red]not[/red] to allow the U.S. to base troops in their territories.  Putin has been pushing for Russian sovereignity.  He doesn't want these countries to become more closely allied to the U.S. -- remember the hissy fits that the Russian government threw over Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia applying for N.A.T.O. membership a couple of years ago?

The Russian government has its own interests at heart -- just as the U.S. government [red]should[/red] have U.S. interests at heart (but all too frequently doesn't) -- and Russia's interests don't include having Tajikistan breaking away as a truly independent nation.

Did I write about "the Russian people"?  No, I wrote about "the Russian government", or "Moscow" for shorthand.

As far as learning the language, funny you should mention that. . . .  BbI PYCCKN, TOBaPN(shch)?

I know, I know -- the 'N's are backwards, and I can't even type one of the characters.  What can I say, I don't control the fonts on this page. . . .  Soem day I will, but I don't yet.

... a dirt place near the northern border to set our Longbows down on their spoof squat switches "is a good thing".