Afghanistan's Plea to the U.S.: 'Don't Do Us Any Favors'Michael Hughes
Foreign Policy Strategist
Posted: January 13, 2011 10:41 PM
Vice President Joe Biden recently claimed U.S. forces would remain in Afghanistan beyond 2014 if the Afghans, at that time, "want it," insinuating the outcome would be based on the will of the Afghan people -- an act that would be noteworthy in and of itself, considering more than three decades have passed since the Afghans last exercised anything resembling self-determination.
Afghans will most likely have no voice in determining when occupying forces leave their country because the future will be dictated, as usual, by U.S. domestic politics and corrupt powerbrokers in Afghanistan and Pakistan who, contrary to popular belief, never want the U.S. to leave.
And why would they? Afghan President Hamid Karzai's family has siphoned billions off U.S. largesse over the past 10 years and Pakistan, which is on the verge of financial collapse, subsists on foreign aid, largely American. And Islamabad understands U.S. aid is tied to security objectives, so instability ends up being in the Pakistani government and military's best interests.
Instead of even entertaining the "insane" concept of withdrawing post-haste, U.S. officials are still under the delusion that military progress is being made and that, by some unforeseen act of science or nature, Kabul under Karzai will suddenly start becoming less corrupt.
Not only are the Americans not leaving anytime soon, it seems they're bent on ensuring a political settlement is struck that would blend Islamic fascism with Karzai depravity -- something the Afghans never asked for. 
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