What to do about Afghanistan?

[longknife]

We are reaching that time when Obumbler promised we'd be out of Afghanistan and already his administration is looking at ways to keep us there until after the 2014 mid-term elections.

The current agreement – which he is keeping secret – is awaiting approval by the Gathering of Mob Bosses known as the Loyal Jirga. Yeah, the same ones who've managed to come up with the biggest opium harvest since the arrival of NATO troops in that backward country.

The claimed reason for wanting to break another promise is to destroy the Taliban located in nearby Pakistan – supposedly our ally. Yet, what about the terrorists coming into the country from Iran? Not a word about that.

Fortunately, Iran is busy sending its fighters through Iraq into Syria and Lebanon so that western side of Afghanistan is a bit safer. Meanwhile, the country we “liberated” from that horrid Hussein is being wracked with bombs and killings of police.

What to do?

My own feelings are simple – pull every single one of our and NATO's troops out of that miserable cesspool of a country as soon as possible! If Afghanistan is desperate for help, let them turn to Russia or China – which has a small border with that country and is experiencing problems with Muslim jihadists.

Do what Iraq is pleading for us to do – put a combat brigade on the border with Iran and another on the border with Syria. Give that country a chance to gain stability.

Do nothing about the Russian efforts to prop up Assad – maybe even urge them to provide aid to the Afghan government.

Here's one story on the subject @ Afghanistan Deal is a Bitter Victory

We all know that any decision Obama makes will be for political and not security reasons. So, what would YOU do?

 

[longknife]

Now Karzi is backing out of the deal

Read story @ Afghan President Defers Signing US Security Deal - World - CBN News - Christian News 24-7 - CBN.com

 

[Vikrant]

I do not think Afghan National Army (ANA) is ready to take over the defense duties of the country. Until that happens it will be a wise thing for Afghanistan to have the US presence there.

 

[longknife]

I do not think Afghan National Army (ANA) is ready to take over the defense duties of the country. Until that happens it will be a wise thing for Afghanistan to have the US presence there.

I daily read a couple of Indian blogs and their prognostication is that either China or Russian will come in to take over the role of supporting the Afghan military.

Daily, the USA is losing its prestige and standing throughout the world.

The next hot spot is going to be in Asia where China is flexing its muscles. And the USA is only mouthing platitudes.

 

[SayMyName]

What to do about Afghanistan?

I suppose that is for the Afghanis to decide.

 

[Vikrant]

US hopes India will persuade Hamid Karzai to ink agreement


Washington: With Hamid Karzai stonewalling every US effort to conclude a bilateral security agreement, the Obama Administration is pinning its hopes on India to persuade the Afghan President to sign the deal and end the current political imbroglio on the issue.

A top Obama Administration official has described Karzai's scheduled visit to India later this week visit as important from the perspective of the US.

"His upcoming visit to India could, I think, be quite influential because he highly respects and has good relations with the Indian government," James Dobbins, the US Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, told members of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations committee.

US President Barack Obama had personally sought Indian help when he met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the White House in September.

Following the meeting, National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon had a separate meeting with his US counterpart Susan Rice, sources said.

The issue is again believed to have come up for discussion when Secretary of State John Kerry and Deputy Secretary of State William Burns met visiting Indian Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh at the State Department.

However, it is not known yet, what kind of help India is providing behind the scenes for Afghanistan and the US to ink the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA).

Responding to questions, Dobbins told Senators most of the Afghan neighbours with the exception of Iran have encouraged Karzai to sign the BSA.

"Afghanistan's regional neighbours, with the exception of Iran, also understand the importance of the BSA. I understand that President Putin of Russia, President Xi of China, Prime Minister Singh of India and Prime Minister Sharif of Pakistan have all personally urged President Karzai to conclude this agreement," Dobbins said.

He said the US is working with other Afghan neighbours in this regard.

"We are engaged with the neighbouring countries. President Karzai has just visited Iran, but he's also in I think three days from now going to be visiting India, where he'll meet with the Prime Minister and other leaders in India. He's visiting Turkey shortly thereafter," Dobbins said.

"We've already mentioned what Russia, what China, what Pakistan have said," he said.

"So I think that with the exception of Iran, there is quite a remarkable, actually, international consensus that while the US shouldn't stay forever, it should stay for a while longer," Dobbins said, adding that the BSA is the keystone of a much wider international commitment involving over 70 countries ready to provide economic and security assistance to Afghanistan beyond 2014.

"Several of these leaders are no fans of an American military presence in Central Asia, but they all seem to recognise that without continued international military and economic support, Afghanistan risks falling back into civil war with the attendant rise in extremist groups, outflow of refugees and disruptions in commerce that would threaten the region as a whole," Dobbins said.

He expressed optimism about the conclusion of the agreement, saying, "Given this coincidence of Afghan public and regional governmental opinion, I see little chance that the BSA will not be eventually concluded."

Awaiting the arrival of the next Afghan president to do so, however, will impose large and unnecessary costs on the Afghan people, he argued.

"Already, the anxiety caused by President Karzai's refusal to heed the advice of the loya jirga is having such an effect," Dobbins said.

"While in Kabul last week, I learned from the World Bank and other sources that the Afghan currency is slipping in value, inflation is increasing, capital fleeing, property values dropping. Probably for the first time since 2001, the outflow of Afghan population exceeds the return of refugees," he said.

Dobbins warned that prolonged uncertainty over the BSA will also erode larger international support for Afghanistan.

"At Tokyo in July 2012 and in Chicago in May of that year, the international community pledged billions in support of the Afghan security forces and the Afghan economy beyond 2014," he said.

"As in the US, the fulfilment of these pledges is dependent on public support and parliamentary approval. Prolonged delay in concluding the BSA and the also-required NATO equivalent agreement can only diminish the prospect that these pledges will be fully met," Dobbins said.

US hopes India will persuade Hamid Karzai to ink agreement

 

[longknife]

India has a direct interest in maintaining a US presence in Afghanistan as it diverts Pakistan from its claims on Indian territory in the Kashmir.

India is spending lots of money to increase its military, money that Pakistan can't meet except through an increase in selling Opium obtained from Afghanistan.

 

[Desperado]

What to do about Afghanistan?
Other than bring our troops and equipment home.... We do absolutely nothing.
Cut all lines of communications and treat them like we have treated Cuba for the last 35 years.

 

[Dot Com]

What to do about Afghanistan?

I suppose that is for the Afghanis to decide.

yep. Unless we eradicate the opium trade, which isn't going to happen, corruption will remain. We need to declare victory and GTFO of that TRILLION $$$, decade+ long war.

 

[Vikrant]

What to do about Afghanistan?
Other than bring our troops and equipment home.... We do absolutely nothing.
Cut all lines of communications and treat them like we have treated Cuba for the last 35 years.

That will be a recipe for disaster. If the US pulls out of Afghanistan, it will descend into chaos of pre 911 days. It will be bad for the US and the world. That is why except for Iran, all countries int the neighborhood are in favor of the US presence in Afghanistan.

 

[Vikrant]

India has a direct interest in maintaining a US presence in Afghanistan as it diverts Pakistan from its claims on Indian territory in the Kashmir.

India is spending lots of money to increase its military, money that Pakistan can't meet except through an increase in selling Opium obtained from Afghanistan.

As it stands, Pakistan itself is in favor of the US presence in Afghanistan.

 

[Desperado]

What to do about Afghanistan?
Other than bring our troops and equipment home.... We do absolutely nothing.
Cut all lines of communications and treat them like we have treated Cuba for the last 35 years.

That will be a recipe for disaster. If the US pulls out of Afghanistan, it will descend into chaos of pre 911 days. It will be bad for the US and the world. That is why except for Iran, all countries int the neighborhood are in favor of the US presence in Afghanistan.

Right and the past 12 years have not been a complete disaster? Give it a rest, if all the countries in the Mid east were in favor of a US presence in Afghanistan, why were they not contributing either men or money for the past 12 years we were there?
Afghanistan has be a waste of life, money and material for the US, time to cut our losses and leave it to the Afghans to figure out.

 

[Vikrant]

What to do about Afghanistan?
Other than bring our troops and equipment home.... We do absolutely nothing.
Cut all lines of communications and treat them like we have treated Cuba for the last 35 years.

That will be a recipe for disaster. If the US pulls out of Afghanistan, it will descend into chaos of pre 911 days. It will be bad for the US and the world. That is why except for Iran, all countries int the neighborhood are in favor of the US presence in Afghanistan.

Right and the past 12 years have not been a complete disaster? Give it a rest, if all the countries in the Mid east were in favor of a US presence in Afghanistan, why were they not contributing either men or money for the past 12 years we were there?
Afghanistan has be a waste of life, money and material for the US, time to cut our losses and leave it to the Afghans to figure out.

Boss, open the map and learn that Afghanistan is not in the middle east.

 

[Vikrant]

...

Karzai called on the US to use "secret contacts" that he's convinced it has with the Taliban to help advance the peace process.

...

Afghan president lashes out at US 'threats' - The Times of India

 

[Desperado]

That will be a recipe for disaster. If the US pulls out of Afghanistan, it will descend into chaos of pre 911 days. It will be bad for the US and the world. That is why except for Iran, all countries int the neighborhood are in favor of the US presence in Afghanistan.

Right and the past 12 years have not been a complete disaster? Give it a rest, if all the countries in the Mid east were in favor of a US presence in Afghanistan, why were they not contributing either men or money for the past 12 years we were there?
Afghanistan has be a waste of life, money and material for the US, time to cut our losses and leave it to the Afghans to figure out.

Boss, open the map and learn that Afghanistan is not in the middle east.

"if all the countries in the Mid east were in favor of a US presence in Afghanistan"
Where did I say Afghanistan was in the Mid East?

 

[longknife]

India has a direct interest in maintaining a US presence in Afghanistan as it diverts Pakistan from its claims on Indian territory in the Kashmir.

India is spending lots of money to increase its military, money that Pakistan can't meet except through an increase in selling Opium obtained from Afghanistan.

As it stands, Pakistan itself is in favor of the US presence in Afghanistan.

What part of Pakistan?

The large population of Taliban who're sending fighters there?

The Pakistani intelligence service that hates the US presence there?

The corrupt central government?

And the list goes on.

 

[Vikrant]

It is a stated position of the government of Pakistan that it favors the US presence in Afghanistan.

Pakistan, India, China encouraged Karzai to sign US-Afghan pact: Dobbins - thenews.com.pk