U.S. troops may stay in Afghanistan until 2024

The plan was for the U.S. to withdraw its troops from Afghanistan by 2014. However, this withdrawal may not be as full as planned.

A National Security adviser has said that the U.S. will help defend the country militarily for approximately a decade after the Afghans take control of their own security.

Rangin Dadfar Spanta, Mr Karzai’s top security adviser, has said that a new strategic pact has been agreed between the U.S. and Afghanistan. Part of this pact implies that the U.S. will not use the country to launch attacks on other countries in the region, including drone strikes.

However he did stress that the U.S. will only aid Afghanistan if approved by Kabul.

Spanta said that Washington may use “diplomatic means, political means, economic means and even military means.” ... read full article.