did you know we are building 9 NEW bases in Afghanistan?

[donsu]

I had read that money was in the budget to upgrade our existing bases in Afghan. but 9 new bases!

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/GC30Ag01.html


US scatters bases to control Eurasia

The United States is beefing up its military presence in Afghanistan, at the same time encircling Iran. Washington will set up nine new bases in Afghanistan in the provinces of Helmand, Herat, Nimrouz, Balkh, Khost and Paktia.

Reports also make it clear that the decision to set up new US military bases was made during Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld's visit to Kabul last December. Subsequently, Afghan President Hamid Karzai accepted the Pentagon diktat. Not that Karzai had a choice: US intelligence is of the view that he will not be able to hold on to his throne beyond June unless the US Army can speed up training of a large number of Afghan army recruits and protect Kabul. Even today, the inner core of Karzai's security is run by the US State Department with personnel provided by private US contractors.

-snip-

(on Poppies)

Though the problem is known to the world, the Pentagon refuses to deal with it. It is not the military's job to eradicate poppy fields, says the Pentagon. Indeed, it would antagonize the warlords who remain the mainstays of the Pentagon in Afghanistan, say observers.

-snip-

(why McCain & Hillary, etc. were in Afghan.)


A ray of light was shed on this question during the recent trip to Afghanistan by five US senators, led by John McCain. On February 22, McCain, accompanied by Senators Hillary Clinton, Susan Collins, Lindsey Graham and Russ Feingold, held talks with Karzai.

After the talks, McCain, the No 2 Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he was committed to a "strategic partnership that we believe must endure for many, many years". McCain told reporters in Kabul that America's strategic partnership with Afghanistan should include "permanent bases" for US military forces. A spokesman for the Afghan president told news reporters that establishing permanent US bases required approval from the yet-to-be-created Afghan parliament.
-snip-
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why is Laura in Afghan.?

[Oreo]

1. They have to have somewhere the troops can be stationed

They're closing more bases in the US so they have to have somewhere to put all the troops that are rushing tot he recruiters' offices.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=7911330
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush on Tuesday nominated former Cabinet members, lawmakers and top military brass to serve on a panel with the politically sensitive job of recommending the closure of domestic U.S. military bases.

Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld must give the nine-member Defense Base Realignment and Closure Commission his recommendations by May 16 for closing or consolidating any of the 425 military bases in the United States and its territories.

Rumsfeld has said there is roughly 25 percent excess capacity in U.S. bases, suggesting he may seek large numbers of closures to save money and improve efficiency. Many states have geared up to lobby to save their bases, which provide numerous jobs and other local economic benefits.

The panel will evaluate Rumsfeld's list, making possible additions or subtractions, and send a recommendation to Bush by Sept. 8. If Bush accepts this advice, he would forward the list to Congress, which can approve or reject the list in its entirety but make no changes to it.

[tubbacheez]

2. Yeah, we're taking over the heroin trade now.

Gotta have bases there so we can protect the right people, ya know.

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. There isn't any plan for the region beyond spending money on military

bases, guns and bullets. It is a hopeless place, Russia already tried this, and realized it was fruitless.