U.S. says believes it will strike deal with Afghans on troops

[illusion8]

(Reuters) - The United States believes it will strike a deal with Afghanistan that will allow some American troops to stay in the country beyond 2014, when the NATO combat mission ends, the top U.S. diplomat on Afghanistan told Congress on Thursday.

"Without an agreement on our presence in Afghanistan, we would not remain. But we do not believe that that's the likely outcome of these negotiations," James Dobbins, the State Department's special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, told a Senate hearing.

"Unlike Iraq, to which comparisons are often made, the Afghans actually need us to stay. Most Afghans want us to stay. And we have promised to stay."

U.S. says believes it will strike deal with Afghans on troops | Reuters

 

[That Guy]

They said the same thing about Iraq, but nothing came of it. The Iraqis needed them to stay, they wanted them to stay, and the US promised to stay. The problem was that the US was asking for too much in return.

 

[Pulsar]

They said the same thing about Iraq, but nothing came of it. The Iraqis needed them to stay, they wanted them to stay, and the US promised to stay. The problem was that the US was asking for too much in return.

The Americans are here to stay! At least one division worth of troops plus spec ops teams and logistics elements as well as a squadron of attack choppers and another for utility purposes.

The U.S. will not leave a vacuum in Afghanistan. The stakes are too high. They have their eyes set on exploiting Afghanistan's natural wealth which is worth a couple of trillion dollars as also the need to keep an eye on Russia and restrict Chinese influence to the minimum. They have hundreds of bases around the world but this one would be strategically one of their most important.

 

[That Guy]

The Americans are here to stay! At least one division worth of troops plus spec ops teams and logistics elements as well as a squadron of attack choppers and another for utility purposes.

The U.S. will not leave a vacuum in Afghanistan. The stakes are too high. They have their eyes set on exploiting Afghanistan's natural wealth which is worth a couple of trillion dollars as also the need to keep an eye on Russia and restrict Chinese influence to the minimum. They have hundreds of bases around the world but this one would be strategically one of their most important.

I'd reply to you properly, but considering that you still haven't apologized for insulting me, I think you should refrain from replying to me until you do.

 

[Pulsar]

I'd reply to you properly, but considering that you still haven't apologized for insulting me, I think you should refrain from replying to me until you do.

Apologizing for what may I ask?

 

[acid rain]

They said the same thing about Iraq, but nothing came of it. The Iraqis needed them to stay, they wanted them to stay, and the US promised to stay. The problem was that the US was asking for too much in return.

The Iraqi's didnt want them to stay while the Afghans want them to stay. Check out Dobbins's interview to CNN. The US wanted to build up local security forces and let them take care of their security and then leave only providing consultation, training and the occasational aid. They did that in Iraq and want to do that in AFG as well, but the difference between Afghan and Iraqi troops are, Iraqis are a proper army and Air Force with decades of war experience, equipment and oil money while the Afghan forces are not and will probably need a lot more assistance then what Iraq does.

Obama had spelt out Afg Withdrawal plans in 2008 itself, the only delay was the Afghan forces took sometime to come into their own, they are still not ready and will require a few more years of training and assistance.

 

[muse]

Will the US get the SOFA they want? Yes they will -- Will that be a good thing?

 

[LiberalAtheist]

In other words more taxpayer money being urinated away on that wasteland, pack up and leave its a ticking time bomb the British realized this the Russians realized once we leave the government will only have power in Kabul all other parts of Afghanistan will fall to the Taliban it is simply inevitable at this point.

 

[acid rain]

In other words more taxpayer money being urinated away on that wasteland, pack up and leave its a ticking time bomb the British realized this the Russians realized once we leave the government will only have power in Kabul all other parts of Afghanistan will fall to the Taliban it is simply inevitable at this point.

The ticking time bomb as you call it puts in jeopardy millions of Afghan lives of people who have just started to see some modernization, education and normalization.

 

[That Guy]

The Iraqi's didnt want them to stay while the Afghans want them to stay. Check out Dobbins's interview to CNN. The US wanted to build up local security forces and let them take care of their security and then leave only providing consultation, training and the occasational aid. They did that in Iraq and want to do that in AFG as well, but the difference between Afghan and Iraqi troops are, Iraqis are a proper army and Air Force with decades of war experience, equipment and oil money while the Afghan forces are not and will probably need a lot more assistance then what Iraq does.

Obama had spelt out Afg Withdrawal plans in 2008 itself, the only delay was the Afghan forces took sometime to come into their own, they are still not ready and will require a few more years of training and assistance.

The problem is that Obama may not want to stay, because the Afghans are reluctant to give immunity to US soldiers, as well as the fact that Obama and Karzai don't particularly like each other.

U.S. mulling complete Afghanistan withdrawal in 2014 (link)

 

[That Guy]

Apologizing for what may I ask?

You know what you said, don't pretend otherwise.
@muse , you really dislike me, don't you? xD

Will the US get the SOFA they want? Yes they will -- Will that be a good thing?

Who knows? If they do, then maybe they'll be able to actually help the ANA keep the Taliban back and the Kabul gov from falling.

...I wouldn't bet on it though.

 

[muse]

@muse , you really dislike me, don't you? xD
.

I just want you to make sense - to be persuasive.

 

[That Guy]

I just want you to make sense - to be persuasive.

I do though, and I think you just don't want to be persuaded. We just simply have two differing opinions on such matters, though that may not be a bad thing, as it gives readers two different opposing views, no?

I'm not really saying your wrong per-se, I just think that the examples you use can be interpreted in different ways, take for example the "mercenary army" argument you made.

 

[L@eeq]

I do though, and I think you just don't want to be persuaded. We just simply have two differing opinions on such matters, though that may not be a bad thing, as it gives readers two different opposing views, no?

I'm not really saying your wrong per-se, I just think that the examples you use can be interpreted in different ways, take for example the "mercenary army" argument you made.

dont take him serious. these liberal bi***hes are extremist as well. they want others to change their openion. every one has his openion.

 

[acid rain]

The problem is that Obama may not want to stay, because the Afghans are reluctant to give immunity to US soldiers, as well as the fact that Obama and Karzai don't particularly like each other.

U.S. mulling complete Afghanistan withdrawal in 2014 (link)

There's no way the US will let Afghanistan go back to the stone age again, they are kicking themselves for doing that and letting Afghanistan fall into Taliban hands in the 90's which resulted in the death of 3000 Americans in 9/11 and scores more in WOT.
The agreement will happen no matter what, Obama's not going to climb down from his requirements and the threat of complete pullout is just a pressure tactic to make Karzai more malleable.