Getting Ready For A Surge In Afghanistan

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Bagram Air Base...the bottom right is the entrance where the IED hit during VP Cheney's visit.

Defense Contracts Foretell Military Buildup in Afghanistan
-- Washington Post

The Defense Department is seeking private contractors to carry out a variety of tasks -- such as clearing land mines, building detention facilities and providing fuel -- to assist U.S. forces in Afghanistan, which are set to grow following President Bush's announcement last week that he will expand military operations there.

This month, the Pentagon issued a proposal seeking civilian contractors to help clear land mines in Afghanistan, including the outer areas of Bagram air base, where new construction is underway. A $25 million contract to build about 14 miles of roads inside the Bagram complex will be awarded later this month. The roads are to "ease traffic flow" and "provide diversions for construction traffic" on the expanding base, according to the published solicitation.

Last week, the Defense Department put out a contract proposal seeking firms that could supply airborne surveillance in Afghanistan with the capability of Constant Hawk, a system now deployed in Iraq. From a single-engine aircraft, Constant Hawk's sensors record and archive data from an area over time in order to capture events such as exploding roadside bombs. Civilian analysts are also being sought to review the recorded incidents and identify perpetrators.

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My Comment: Expect all the contractors in Iraq to be moved to Afghanistan very soon. Procurements and budgets are the first signs of what is going to happen .... and what is going to happen is a major military buildup in Afghanistan.