As Washington looks to meet the logistic challenge of removing war equipment from Afghanistan with the 2014 drawdown, an American official has praised excellent cooperation from Pakistan, whose ground lines will provide a key overland route for retrograde of the military gear.
Appearing for his confirmation hearing as principal deputy undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology, and logistics, Alan Estevez updated the Senate Armed Services Committee of the progress towards accomplishing the return of equipment under agreement between the two countries.
“We have a number of proofs of principles, as we call them, to move equipment through Pakistan. They’re ongoing right now. Two of them have been successfully completed,” he said in response to a question by chairman of the panel Senator Carl Levin.
The purpose of the proof of principles, Estevez explained, was to hone out the processes with the Pakistanis, with their customs enforcement, with their port agencies and with their trucking companies, in order to facilitate an increased volume of those movements.
