For Afghanistan's Sake, NATO Should Leave Sooner than 2014
"America
used NATO to cover its invasion of Afghanistan, and if its departure remains on
schedule, its occupation will have lasted 13 years. … 2014 is too far off
to be a realistic date of withdrawal. Since Pakistan is suffering the most, it
shouldn't compliantly accept this date, but call for an earlier
withdrawal. Not only will that suit Pakistan’s interests, it will also lessen the suffering of the Afghan people."
NATO members have gathered in
Lisbon, where they will follow the American lead and agree to withdraw most of
their forces from Afghanistan by 2014. This will follow a partial withdrawal
next year, in 2011. However, this seeking after a safe and honorable exit means
that NATO's presence, which includes the U.S., will go on - and the entire
region will go on being destabilized.
America used NATO to cover
its invasion of Afghanistan, and if its departure remains on schedule, its
occupation will have lasted 13 years. After all this time, it's obvious that
the pressure to leave felt by NATO governments, including the U.S., is becoming
irresistible. This is why all NATO members are seeking an exit that can be
portrayed back home as a victory.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
Afghan President Hamid Karzai
will join the NATO meeting, along with non-NATO members of the occupation force.
He will endorse the 2014 date, which is being held out as the point when Afghan
forces will be able to take responsibility for national security. However,
considering the state of the Karzai Administration, this will do nothing to
forestall the collapse of the regime.
Notwithstanding U.S.
President Barack Obama’s fine words in which he expressed a commitment to
Afghan security, the possibility of America again abandoning the region cannot
be ignored. It will then be replaced by India, which the U.S. entrenched in the
country. Though the NATO summit took no notice of this, India's presence there
is not only unjustified, it is inimical to Pakistan.
The Pakistan government will likely
welcome the result of the meeting, as it competes with NATO to be the most subservient
to the United States. But the fact of the matter is that 2014 is too far off to
be a realistic date of withdrawal. Since Pakistan is suffering the most, it
shouldn't compliantly accept this date, but call for an earlier
withdrawal. Not only will that suit Pakistan’s interests, it will also lessen
the suffering of the Afghan people.
