The complicated dynamics of the Afghanistan supply route

Russia wants the US transshipping cargo for Afghanistan through Russia. They apparently bought off the Kyrgyz for $2 billion to permanently close the Manas air base, and are now quite anxious to have the US begin shipping through their country.

This smells really funny, especially since the Russians don't like the US presence in that part of the world and have been arming Iran as a counterbalance. I don't think they want us to pull out of Afghanistan immediately, they've had trouble with the Islamists, too, but this does give them a strong lever of control over actions in the region and a lever to affect US policy more broadly.

This is another mess Bush left us.....