Russia going back to Afghanistan? Kremlin confirms it could happen

[rug]

By Fred Weir | 08:20 am.

Almost a quarter century after Soviet troops left Afghanistan in defeat, Russia may return to the country by establishing "maintenance bases" for Russian-made military equipment after NATO winds down its operations there next year, defense ministry officials have confirmed.

"It is important to maintain the weapon systems and military equipment of the Afghan armed forces in a serviceable state," Sergei Koshelev, head of the Russian defense ministry's international cooperation department, told journalists late last week.

Moscow is extremely worried "that any escalation of the situation in Afghanistan after NATO troops pull out in 2014 could have a negative impact on the security of both Russia and other European nations," he added.

Russian experts insist that it's not an attempt to overcome Russia's own version of the "Vietnamsyndrome" – an agonized folk memory of the decade-long war in Afghanistan that arguably brought down the Soviet Union. Rather, they say the new engagement will be limited to commercial obligations, negotiated with NATO before it pulls most of its forces out, and will absolutely not involve any active military role.

http://www.minnpost.com/christian-science-monitor/2013/04/russia-going-back-afghanistan-kremlin-confirms-it-could-happen

[geek tragedy]

1. Suckers. There won't be any 'Afghan armed services' within 18 months of the NATO

pullout--just a bunch of regional militias.

[premium]

2. Ya beat me to the punch.

But I wouldn't even give it 18 mo., more like 12 mo.

[zipplewrath]

3. They're quitting in droves

The afghans are quitting the security forces in large numbers. Their current size may be hard to maintain after we leave (for various values of "leave" anyway). Growing them may be near impossible.

[talkingmime]

4. Fine. Let's give them our bases and let THEM fuck around for ten years.

We've been doing nothing there for long enough.