US-Afghan agreement would keep troops in place and funds flowing, perhaps indefintely.

[BelgianMadCow]

From NBC. RT's take is here.

Taken as a whole, the document describes a basic U.S.-Afghan exchange. Afghanistan would allow Washington to operate military bases to train Afghan forces and conduct counter-terrorism operations against al-Qaeda after the current mission ends in 2014. For that foothold in this volatile mountain region wedged between Pakistan and Iran, the United States would agree to sustain and equip Afghanistan's large security force, which the government in Kabul currently cannot afford. The deal, according to the text, would take effect on Jan. 1, 2015 and “shall remain in force until the end of 2024 and beyond.” It could be terminated by either Washington or Kabul with two years advance written notice.

The document doesn’t specifically say how many U.S. and NATO troops would remain in Afghanistan beyond 2014. Afghan officials tell NBC News they hope it will be 10 to 15 thousand. U.S. officials tell NBC News the number is closer to seven to eight thousand, with an additional contribution from NATO.

A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council did not comment on the draft version of the agreement, but said that "the President is still reviewing options from his national security team and has not made a decision about a possible U.S. presence after 2014."

That reads like an invitation to place a few calls, no?

The draft text NBC published is here. It has the immunity clause of course, and rules out any international tribunals for eventual crimes committed.

[CFLDem]

1. It'd be a shame to just up and leave

after spending all that treasure and spilling all of that blood.

Besides someone has to keep the Taliban in check until we can eventually hand that duty over to the Chinese (it is their backyard after all).

[Egalitarian Thug]

2. K&R. Thanks for posting. n/t

[liberal_at_heart]

3. kicked because we cannot ignore this.

[KoKo]

4. Agree...this should NOT go "Under the Radar" when so much else is going

haywire.

[Enthusiast]

5. This is clearly a bad deal.

The American people want the fuck out of these foreign entanglements.

[Solly Mack]

6. kr

[ConcernedCanuk]

7. Anyone really think the MIC et al are gonna give up fucking with Iran?

.
.
.

Look at a map - Afghanistan just happens to sandwich Iran with Saudi Arabia.

Could be just a coincidence . . . .

CC

ps: nevermind what the USA's got hidden in Iraq and cruising around in subs in the Gulf . . .

[Ichingcarpenter]

9. Would the Nazis had left

with all the precious metals there?
What if the commies wanted it?

[LittleBlue]

8. Hopefully this fails just like the Iraq agreement

We need to be out, not adopting a 51st state.

[rusty fender]

10. Yeah

this is so insane

[NuclearDem]

11. 2024?!

Jesus Christ!