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| Afghanistan |
| Afghan government says NATO war 'aimless, unwise' |
| 2013-03-19 |
| Afghanistan's presidential spokesman on Tuesday described the NATO-led military operation in the country as "aimless and unwise", in the latest government broadside against the coalition. Anytime you want us out of there, Hamid, we're happy to leave. And no, we're not renewing your visa... Aimal Faizi, spokesman for President Hamid Karzai, hit out after NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen rejected Karzai's recent allegations that it was working in collusion with Taliban militants. "The people of Afghanistan ask NATO to define the purpose and aim of the so-called war on terror... (They) consider this war as aimless and unwise to continue," Faizi said in a statement. The verbal onslaught is set to worsen relations between Afghanistan and the international coalition that has been fighting for 11 years against Islamist militants who are trying to overthrow Karzai's government. In recent weeks Karzai has been staking out increasingly nationalist ground as he prepares for his final year in office before he steps down when presidential elections are held in April 2014. Next year will also see the withdrawal of all NATO combat troops from Afghanistan, leaving poorly-trained and inexperienced local security forces to take on the insurgents alone. Rasmussen, at a press conference earlier Tuesday in Brussels, said that instead of alleging collusion with the Taliban, Afghanistan should acknowledge NATO efforts to bring progress to the country. "I reject the idea... there is so-called collusion between NATO forces... and the Taliban. It is an absolutely ridiculous idea," he said. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #2 As they forget they are an occupied country for a damn good reason. |
| Posted by: Water Modem 2013-03-19 15:51 |
| #1 I wholeheartedly agree that our continued presence is "aimless and unwise" - as has been our presence since 2003. We should completely un-ass Afghanistan with no further delay. On departure, we should make absolutely clear that if we ever even suspect that the region of Afghanistan is harboring militants with evil designs against America, we will do our utmost best to blast therm back to an earlier pre-stone age - and we will then make the rubble bounce - three times. And then sow salt into the bare ground. It is the height of foolishness to dump any more blood or treasure into that hell-hole of a region. |
| Posted by: Lone Ranger 2013-03-19 13:14 |