You know the writing is already on the mud wall in Afghanistan when Russia agrees in principal to sell Poland, a member of NATO, five military helicopters and help train the Afghan army. The Mi-17 choppers [photo] are for the use of Afghan forces being trained to replace western troops. Afghan officers are training in a number of Russian military institutes now, according to the
Independent. No doubt older Afghan pilots are familiar with Russian equipment from the days of communist rule in Kabul. The former Cold War enemy is also interested in expanding the use of Russian controlled supply routes into Afghanistan after the recent successful attacks on western convoys in Pakistan. Russian officials have exposed willingness to consider the request since they view with concern the deteriorating security situation in Central Asia. But Russia also wants the West to accept the status quo in South Ossetia which the Russian military has occupied since the brief but sharp conflict with Georgia two years ago. An announcement of the Russian military aid to NATO is expected at the next NATO summit in Lisbon to be attended by President Medvedev. The memory of those CIA supplied Stinger rockets that brought down Soviet helicopters two decades ago must be bitter sweet by now. Round and round we go, and where it stops, nobody knows.
