US military bases in Afghanistan were a very popular hosting site for various US spy agencies operating in the area. Soon, the US will be closing the last of those bases and leaving.
All of those spy agencies are now scrambling around looking for alternatives, so that they can keep operating in Afghanistan after the US troops leave. They’ve been talking up this problem for a while, but lack good answers.
Pakistan has already ruled out the idea of hosting them, and while some have suggested former Soviet states as an option, it’s not clear they’ve made any progress.
Officials say the US intention is to have substantial capabilities in Afghanistan even after they leave, saying it will be “a little more difficult.” That’s putting it mildly, but it’s not clear at all how it’s going to work out.
Someone has to protect the poppy fields and heroin distribution.
Spy is an interesting slang word for terrorist.
Sometimes. It is also sometimes advance man for larger organized aggression. It is also sometimes the bag man for buying corruption, especially of basic industries from blood diamonds to oil production profits taken to benefit outside interests. It can also be theft of ideas, some very valuable, others just short cuts to catch up.
The spying they care most about is on Iran and China, done from Afghanistan.