Karzai Admits US Seeks Permanent Military Bases in Afghanistan

US in Talks on Keeping Troops in Afghanistan Forever

by Jason Ditz, Antiwar.com,  February 08, 2011

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With President Obama having long ago disavowed the 2011 date he pledged would be the beginning of the withdrawal from Afghanistan, its remained to be seen how quickly the 2014 date, confirmed most recently at Lisbon, would fall by the wayside.

It seems like it will be quite soon, as Afghan President Hamid Karzai confirmed today that the Obama Administration has been in secret talks with him to formalize a system of permanent military bases across the war torn nation, effectively pledging to keep the unpopular occupation a permanent aspect of life in Afghanistan.

Karzai said the permanent US military presence would bring “economic prosperity and an end to violence,” which seems an incredible claim to make nearly 10 years into such an occupation, and with the situation growing ever worse throughout that period.

Karzai did not indicate when the deal for the permanent occupation would be finalized, but did say he intended to submit the agreement to parliament. No word yet if the US Congress will get similar oversight, but the precedent set by the 2008 Status of Forces Agreement in Iraq suggests this will probably not be the case.