The Obama Administration continues telling two different stories on Afghanistan. After yesterday’s threats to withdraw from the nation if Karzai doesn’t sign a troop deal, officials are now saying President Obama is “looking beyond Karzai” in securing the occupation for years and decades to come.
Karzai has repeatedly ruled out signing the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA), which would keep troops in Afghanistan “through 2024 and beyond,” and several US ultimatum deadlines have come and gone with no signature.
Karzai’s term in office ends in April, however, and the Obama Administration is in talks with some of the candidates to replace him, hoping to get them to sign off on the occupation as soon as the election ends.
Despite Obama presenting the “zero option” as real, officials have repeatedly insisted that it is not, and all indications are that, by hook or by crook, they intend to stay.
NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen also expressed hope that such a deal could be put into place too, saying NATO also wants to keep its troops in Afghanistan beyond the end of the year.
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Yeah, I know Obama was just bluffing, those military bases are of significant value to the war party future aggression in the region.
Let us pray that Obama's thought's for continuation of the occupation do not establish and continue as supporters of the collaborative-Northern Alliance as partners, dependents or even candidates. Lest we forget, it was the Northern Alliance that protected the Soviet lines of supply along the Salang Highway. Their leader, A.S.Massoud had cut many deals with the Soviet 40th Army of occupation and entered agreements to protect their lines of supply. The Northern Alliance has also acted as forward observers for U.S. artillery and drone assault against the Taliban. And lest we forget…it was the Taliban that all but eradicated opium production in country, now at the highest levels under U.S. and Northern Alliance guidance and policy. SO, the question becomes who are the genuine bad guys? My vote goes to the Northern Alliance and their U.S. aggressive friends…the U.S.
By hook or by crook, the empire is staying in Afghanistan.
gee, you dont even have to read the aptly acronymed "BSA" to know it stinks; just the way they're trying to shove it down Karzai's throat before he leaves office is proof enough. Dont these treaties have to be ratified by parliaments, in democracies ??
it's probably just the patriot act under a new moniker. (maybe even watered down)