{"id":113507,"date":"2009-12-28T13:50:51","date_gmt":"2009-12-28T18:50:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/nw0.eu\/2009\/12\/28\/hillary-clinton-we%e2%80%99ll-still-be-in-afghanistan-in-50-or-60-years.html"},"modified":"2009-12-28T13:50:51","modified_gmt":"2009-12-28T18:50:51","slug":"hillary-clinton-we%e2%80%99ll-still-be-in-afghanistan-in-50-or-60-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mereja.media\/index\/113507","title":{"rendered":"Hillary Clinton: We\u2019ll Still Be In Afghanistan in 50 or 60 Years"},"content":{"rendered":"

Washington\u2019s Blog <\/a>
\nThursday, Dec 24th, 2009<\/span><\/p>\n

On December 1st, President Obama talked about withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan within 18 months.<\/p>\n

Everyone now knows that there is no firm withdrawal date from Afghanistan. See this<\/a> and this<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But in testimony<\/a>
\nto the Senate Armed Services Committee on December 2nd, Secretary of
\nState Hillary Clinton actually gave a much longer horizon for the
\npresence of U.S. troops in America:<\/p>\n

\n

Senator UDALL.\u2014 So, in an ideal world, we would
\nget the job done militarily in the short term; in the medium and long
\nterm, we would have a presence in the region, economically, diplomacy,
\nand politically.<\/p>\n

Secretary CLINTON. Well, as we have with so many other
\ncountries\u2014 obviously, we have troops in a limited number of
\ncountries around the world; some have been there for 50, 60 years, but
\nwe have long-term economic assistance and development programs in many
\nothers. And we think that\u2019s a likely outcome in both Afghanistan
\nand Pakistan, that we would be there with a long-term commitment.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Does this mean that U.S. troops will be in Afghanistan in 50 year?<\/p>\n

On the surface, Clinton\u2019s statement could be interpreted to
\nmean that troops will leave sooner, but that America will have
\nlong-term economic assistance and development programs in Afghanistan
\nfor many decades to come.<\/p>\n

However, U.S. charities working in Afghanistan report<\/a>
\nthat they are subject to Pentagon sponsorship and control, and so the
\nAfghani people view them as part of the U.S. military (which hampers
\ntheir aid work).<\/p>\n

Therefore, whether or not troops will remain in Afghanistan for a
\nhalf century or more, the Afghani people and the rest of the world may
\nconsider it a permanent occupation.<\/p>\n

Remember also that \u2013 while the U.S. government has promised<\/a> to withdraw by December 31, 2011 from Iraq \u2013 the U.S. is building numerous permanent <\/span>military bases in that country. (see this<\/a>, this<\/a>, this<\/a>, this<\/a>, this<\/a>, this<\/a>, this<\/a>, this<\/a>, this<\/a>, and this<\/a>). So talk is cheap.<\/p>\n

\n

Related Posts:<\/h3>\n