BBC: Afghans 'abused at secret prison' at Bagram airbase

[CaféAuLait]

Afghan prisoners are being abused in a "secret jail" at Bagram airbase, according to nine witnesses whose stories the BBC has documented.

The abuses are all said to have taken place since US President Barack Obama was elected, promising to end torture.

BBC News - Afghans 'abused at secret prison' at Bagram airbase

 

[Political Junky]

Afghan prisoners are being abused in a "secret jail" at Bagram airbase, according to nine witnesses whose stories the BBC has documented.

The abuses are all said to have taken place since US President Barack Obama was elected, promising to end torture.

BBC News - Afghans 'abused at secret prison' at Bagram airbase

Glad to see you object to torture too.

 

[LibocalypseNow]

Time to get out of Afghanistan. The Mission has changed too much. Now they're conducting a Drug War against the poor Afghan farmers? That was not why we went over there. That was never part of the original mission. Can't stay there forever. It's time to come home.

 

[LibocalypseNow]

Poor BBC. They actually believe that their fellow Leftists here in America are going to be outraged over this. Not gonna happen. The so-called "Anti-War" Leftists are the biggest frauds in this country. Their Hopey Changey is in there now. They only feigned outrage over torture when a Republican was President. The BBC will figure this out very soon. What a scam.

 

[waltky]

Pentagon wants permanent position at Bagram...

Pentagon Pushing for Long-term US Presence at Bagram
Dec 29, 2015 | The Pentagon is pushing to keep Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan open beyond 2017, defense officials confirmed to Fox News -- an appeal that comes as the Taliban gain ground in the country.

The proposal comes on top of President Obama revising his troop withdrawal timetable, agreeing in October to keep a 9,800-troop force through most of 2016 and then draw down to 5,500 -- despite originally vowing to leave a mere U.S. embassy presence in Kabul. The status of the Bagram base, a vital center of operations located 30 miles north of Kabul, could well be the next front in the Pentagon's efforts to keep options open for the long-term U.S. presence in Afghanistan. "If you don't leave a sizable force inside Afghanistan, the whole place will go to hell," one U.S. official said.

Taliban gains throughout the year have stirred concerns on Capitol Hill, and in Kabul, about the administration's end-game for the war -- which earlier prompted Obama to revise his withdrawal timetable. While defense officials would like to see a sizable force remain long into the future, one source suggested that capability is more critical. "As long as the capability is there, we are less concerned about the number [of U.S. forces]," another official said. This is where Bagram comes in.

A view of Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan from the Air Traffic Control Tower's catwalk after a recent rainstorm.​

The New York Times first reported Monday that the White House is considering a Pentagon proposal to keep open for years at least one U.S. military base – which, sources tell Fox News, is Bagram. Officials consider the base too valuable to close for fear of continued destabilization in Afghanistan and beyond. Special operations forces have carved out a section of the base to house their assault force and helicopters for missions throughout the region. Air Force F-16s also are based at Bagram and conduct airstrikes against the Taliban and other jihadist groups.

The U.S. Air Force conducted over 4,000 sorties, resulting in 916 weapons being dropped on enemy positions, so far this year. The activity alone speaks to how fluid the situation in Afghanistan remains. On Oct. 7, U.S. special operations forces, partnering with Afghan forces, launched an attack on a sprawling Al Qaeda training camp in southern Afghanistan's Kandahar Province. The raid killed up to 180 Taliban and Al Qaeda militants, Fox News is told, signaling increased U.S. special operations involvement in Afghanistan.

MORE