Secret US and Afghanistan Talks Could See Troops Stay for Decades

[Donnachaidh]

http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2011/06/13-8

American and Afghan officials are locked in increasingly acrimonious secret talks about a long-term security agreement which is likely to see US troops, spies and air power based in the troubled country for decades.

Though not publicised, negotiations have been under way for more than a month to secure a strategic partnership agreement which would include an American presence beyond the end of 2014 – the agreed date for all 130,000 combat troops to leave — despite continuing public debate in Washington and among other members of the 49-nation coalition fighting in Afghanistan about the speed of the withdrawal.

American officials admit that although Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, recently said Washington did not want any "permanent" bases in Afghanistan, her phrasing allows a variety of possible arrangements.

"There are US troops in various countries for some considerable lengths of time which are not there permanently," a US official told the Guardian.

More at the link --

[Bragi]

1. Obama knows he has screwed this up and needs a deal

My sense is that Obama now understands that his foolish decision to escalate the pointless war in Afghanistan was a serious error he has to undo before the next election.

Hence, there will be a deal of some sort that a) allows for a visible, massive troop withdrawal, b) includes an "agreement" with the client dictator there to prop him up militarily as needed, and c) provides cover so that Obama can pretend his war plan was a "success".

For their part, Americans will accept the cover story and move on.

For it's part, Afghanistan will remain a U.S fiefdom, and Karzai an installed U.S-friendly puppet dictator, for the foreseeable future.