US Joint Chiefs Chairman Dempsey Sees Grim Future For Afghanistan Without US Security Pact
Source: Associated Press
BAGRAM AIR FIELD, Afghanistan Depicting a grim future for Afghanistan without U.S. help, the top U.S. military officer said Wednesday that Afghanistan's refusal to sign a security agreement with the United States may make the fight more difficult this year, embolden the enemy and prompt some Afghan security forces to cooperate with the Taliban to "hedge their bets."
Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spent the day with his commanders and troops in Afghanistan working to manage the after-effects of President Barack Obama's order Tuesday to begin actively planning for a total withdrawal of U.S. troops by the end of the year. In back-to-back meetings, he urged them to focus on the considerable military work they have to do and not worry about next year.
Dempsey told The Associated Press in an interview that the possible exit of all U.S. troops was making Afghan military leaders anxious and eating away at their troops' confidence. He said he spoke with some Afghan leaders after the Tuesday announcement, and they asked him to stay committed to an enduring U.S. presence, and told him they were doing all they could to get the agreement signed.
Frustrated with Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai, Obama ordered the Pentagon to accelerate planning for a full U.S. troop withdrawal from Afghanistan by the end of this year. But Obama is also holding out hope that Afghanistan's next president, to be elected this spring, may eventually sign a stalled security agreement that could prevent the U.S. from having to take that step.
Read more: http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/9496c21969a342508ab3e3a10bb46afc/AS--United-States-Afghanistan
truth2power
(8,219 posts)started the day the Capitalist Imperialist USA invaded that country subsequent to the false flag terrorist attack on 9/11.
Get your facts straight!
Scalded Nun
(1,236 posts)Once we are out the country will revert to its roots. We are lying to ourselves by saying anything different.
GeorgeGist
(25,321 posts)Yesterday.
FiveGoodMen
(20,018 posts)(at least none that has any resources we could use)
another_liberal
(8,821 posts)My question is: Just what the hell does he think will happen if instead we stay?
neverforget
(9,436 posts)It's the American way to support the MIC.
another_liberal
(8,821 posts)By Halliburton and for Halliburton!