Military Leader Visits Scott Air Force Base BELLEVILLE, IL (wsiu) - Military leaders say the possible closure of an important air base in Kyrgyzstan will not have an adverse impact on American operations in nearby Afghanistan.

Admiral Mike Mullen - the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff - visited with service members at Scott Air Force Base in the Metro East Thursday.

The Kyrgyz parliament voted to cancel the lease on the Manas Air Base. But Mullen said the military has other ways of getting troops and supplies into Afghanistan.
"We've got options, and we'll see what the future brings with respect to how the government of Kyrgyzstan in fact potentially makes final decisions with respect to Manas."

The base closure still needs the approval of the Kyrgyz president. And the Pentagon says it's still looking at what it can offer Kyrgyzstan to keep Manas open.

Otherwise the military will have to find another route for the 17-thousand troops President Obama ordered to Afghanistan.
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