With President Obama having long ago disavowed the 2011 date he pledged would be the beginning of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, its remained to be seen how quickly the 2014 date, confirmed most recently at Lisbon, would fall by the wayside.
It seems like it will be quite soon, as Afghan President Hamid Karzai confirmed today that the Obama Administration has been in secret talks with him to formalize a system of permanent military bases across the war torn nation, effectively pledging to keep the unpopular occupation a permanent aspect of life in Afghanistan.
Karzai said the permanent US military presence would bring “economic prosperity and an end to violence,” which seems an incredible claim to make nearly 10 years into such an occupation, and with the situation growing ever worse throughout that period.
Karzai did not indicate when the deal for the permanent occupation would be finalized, but did say he intended to submit the agreement to parliament. No word yet if the US Congress will get similar oversight, but the precedent set by the 2008 Status of Forces Agreement in Iraq suggests this will probably not be the case.
DOD reports two US soldiers killed in Helmand province. One died in Helmand on Saturday, February 5, 2011 one day before Super Bowl 45. Another died Monday February 7, 2011 one day after the big game. One hundred ten million saw the Super Bowl. No one heard about the death of these two soldiers. There deaths remain hidden to the public as the corporate media and many alternative web sites refuse to identify US combat deaths in Afghanistan on a consistent or informative basis.
And this is news…. why? We've known this for years, why is it a big surprise now? Remember we've got to have bases to house troops so we can secure the route of the proposed oil pipeline. Oh, I forgot- we're not there for oil or anything in our self-interest- we're there to spread the benefits of Western Mainstream Democracy (WMD) to Afghanistan out of the goodness of our hearts, right?
Too bad they don't want it, huh?
Empire of Terror would also like to permanently occupy every part of the planet which has natural resources and that is why they supply, train and help in every way benevolent and humanitarian terrorist waging war against Russia.
The pipeline is only one consideration, and not the major one. The major one is encircling China. Every aspect of US foreign policy is now driven in part by China. Israel is the only consideration which trumps it.
John V. Walsh
America should establish bases in Detroit to bring prosperity and peace to that ravaged city. Let the Afghans tend their own nation.
Pe rmanent basing in "Pipelineistan"by the U.S. has as its strategy the domination of Caspian Basin oil reserves, gas, oil and mineral extraction from the Central Asia Republics. Permanent bases will allow the U.S. to dominate associated exploration, production, and pipeline construction while negating moves from Russia, China and Iran, all long in competition for these coveted resources.
In the view of many, the failed pipeline negotiations between Taliban and the U.S. consortium UNOCAL, led to threats by U.S. officials and ultimately the invasion and occupation of Afghanistan. The plan to attack Afghanistan was announced to Pakistan's Secretary Niaz Naik at a conference in Berlin during Summer of 2001, months prior to 9/11, the oft-stated justification for the attack.
The so-called "War on Terror" is in reality the war for oil/gas.
Perhaps a more appropriate name would have been the War for Terra (instead of war on terror though terror is the main tool being used.) With Peak Oil imminent – "WikiLeaks cables: Saudi Arabia cannot pump enough oil to keep a lid on prices" (http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/feb/08/saudi-oil-reserves-overstated-wikileaks) and the peaking of other resources – Hubbert Peak (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubbert_peak_theory) it is ever more evident that the US has been waging a war to secure the remaining world resources. The thinking I guess is to ensure the continued dominance, perhaps even existence of the US. I doubt seriously that the rest of the world is going to sit back and allow that to happen. Rather than figure out a way to live without such resources or with diminished resources the US decision-makers have taken the path of death and destruction. Not very enlightened and decidedly short-sighted, to say the least. I can only imagine the type of world we are bequeathing to our children. We, as a people, have the wherewithal to create a world so much better than what we live in but pass on it because, well, because it would require that WE change how WE live now. Sad. Really, really sad.
Of course he does, otherwise, how else will he survive?
But we're going to remove all our "combat" troops right? The boys in these permanent military bases will just be benign brother-figure type troops right?
Hamid’s a little late to the party isn’t he? Anyone with half a brain knows that once the US occupies a country it never leaves, willingly.
They´ll be in the permanent bases to secure the pipeline (now 400 Kms) to bring oil and gas from five countries north of Afghanistan through Trans-Afghan Pipeline and to Karachi where it will go by ship. Soldiers are dying to secure air-condition in Texas.
please post references showing that 400 km of the afghanistan pipeline has been completed.
I don´t think so. Thanks anyway 🙂