NATO Will Handover Afghanistan To Karzai By 2014

By Sikander Hayat

It is now becoming clear that NATO will leave Afghanistan in 2014. The exit strategy was devised in Lisbon over the last week and the main pillar of this strategy is to train a large Afghan army and put it on the streets of Afghanistan while a large American force will stay in the country but won't leave the bases after 2015.
To me it looks as if America will stay in Afghanistan for a long time to come albeit in a South Korea/Japan mould .
There are many voices in the region who believe that prolonged presence of the foreign troops will only prolong the conflict in Afghanistan by making making recruitment of fighters for Taliban easier.

I tend to agree with this view as I see only the immediate neighbours of Afghanistan can stabilise Afghanistan with the help of United States. Among these neighbours, Iran & Pakistan will have to play a major role and America has to recognise this role.
Also Iran & Pakistan will have to put aside their differences to have any influence in the region otherwise both will suffer under the weight of major foreign powers and the eventual outcome in Afghanistan may turn out to be detrimental to both nation's security.

Related Posts:
1. Who can broker a deal with the Taliban? When the time is right, a number of groups could help the west negotiate
2.Afghanistan: military quagmire and government money pit
3.Majority of Afghans back talks with Taliban: poll
4.Why United States & NATO Are Not Winning In Afghanistan?
5.Pakistan's Improving Fortunes In Afghanistan

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