In trying to weasel their way out of a failed, unpopular war, the Obama administration has realized it can’t continue nation-building in Afghanistan all on its own. So they’re asking for help.
Part of the U.S. mission in Afghanistan was to build up an independent Afghan army so carry on policing the country after most of the 130,000 foreign troops leave in 2014. That mission has failed miserably, but the Obama administration thinks that with money donations from other countries, some face can be saved.
The cost of maintaining Afghan’s security forces after the withdrawal will be about $4.1 billion annually, too much for an administration pretending to be serious about debt reduction. After all, America still will have to pick up most of the tab for all the JSOC teams conducting night raids and drone attacks into Pakistan which will continue long after the “withdrawal,” until about 2024.
More than 20 NATO member nations have complied with the Obama administration’s begging and plan to pitch in for the costs in coming years.
But more is still needed, which is partly why many non-NATO nations are getting invitations to the NATO summit in Chicago this month. About 60 countries and organizations are expected to be represented there, as NATO contemplates a way out of the graveyard of empires.
What European country will do the funding? Greece has financial troubles. So does Italy. High unemployment in Spain. France has issues with their rating. The UK admits it's in a double dip recession. Maybe it will be Germany who I think is bailing out Greece. Afghanistan is a black hole for money. The UK is making big cuts in their country including in their police force. I guess the corrupt Afghan gov needs that money more than the people of the UK.
Begging? More of what is needed? These nations are not being invited to hear Obama beg for money. They're being summoned to receive the standard, hackneyed, high pressure bribes and threats by which the Empire assembles its "coalitions".
The accumulated direct and indirect costs of these bribes and threats will be greater than the begrudged monetary contributions squeezed from corrupt and/or intimidated "allies", but it will be better hidden from the Emperor's dumbed down home front serfs.
Now, on to Africa. They've got a lot of suff we can steal to pay for our past misadventures and our gleefully anticipated future adventures against China, Russia and South America, which are sure to go gloriously.
If Obama (and the Congress) terminated the "aid" they send to Israel each year which I think is in the Billions if I remember correctly then Obama might have enough to fund the Afghan Army for an extra week or two.