The Phony Pullout From Afghanistan

[unhappycamper]

http://smirkingchimp.com/thread/eric-margolis/53065/the-phony-pullout-from-afghanistan

The Phony Pullout From Afghanistan
by Eric Margolis | December 8, 2013 - 10:15am

~snip~

Washington says it will withdraw all US combat troops from Afghanistan by 2014. But read the fine print. As of now, 14,000-16,000 US troops will remain on so-called “anti-terrorism” missions and for “training” – though Washington admits there are not more than 50 al-Qaida members in Afghanistan.

In other words, the old British system of white officers commanding native troops. A good $4-5 billion annually from the US and allies will go to hiring up to 400,000 pro-government troops (under US command).

These mercenaries will fight half-heartedly for the Yankee dollar, not ideology. CIA will maintain another mercenary force of about 2,000, and a fleet of killer drones. Add commandos from the shadowy US Special Ops Joint Command (JSOC), a copy of Her Majesty’s assassins, Britain’s famed SAS.

The ongoing US stealth occupation of Afghanistan will be enshrined by a new US-Afghanistan security treaty (read 1930 Anglo-Iraq Treaty), another deal between puppet and string-puller, made respectable by rigged elections and bribed chieftains and a big dose of drug money.

[bemildred]

1. Yes, we have never really given up on the British Imperial model.

I think the attachment must be emotional, the uniforms and being a big-shot, because it's never been anything but trouble.

[polly7]

2. K&R. nt.