Kyrgyzstan Approves U.S. Air Base Closure, Threatening Afghan Supply Chain

After Russia's president Medved gives Kyrgyzstan $2.1 billion in aid. Kyrgyz's President said Kyrgyzstan is closing the airbase to the US because the US isn't paying enough for it's use. So it looks like President Obama might have to fork over more than $2.1 billion to continue using that airbase. Radio Free Europe

(RFE/RL) -- Kyrgyzstan's parliament has approved a government order closing the Manas air base, used by the United States to transport supplies and troops to Afghanistan.

The air base is a key staging post for the reinforcement and supply of U.S. military forces in Afghanistan. Each month some 15,000 U.S. soldiers pass through it on the way to and from the conflict zone, along with 500 tons of supplies.

Its importance to the U.S. and NATO mission in Afghanistan has grown significantly in recent months, as Taliban insurgents have shown themselves capable of interrupting the main road supply route from Pakistan through the Khyber Pass to Afghanistan.

Now, after the February 19 vote in the Kyrgyz parliament, it looks as though the lease on Manas will be lost. According to reports, the United States will have 180 days to leave the base once President Kurmanbek Bakiev signs the bill and the government issues an eviction notice.

Bakiev has said that he wants the Manas base closed because the United States is not paying enough for its use.

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