Posted on 03/22/2012 9:11:58 AM PDT by george76
The West will subsidise Afghan security forces by more than $4 billion a year after US-led troops leave in 2014, President Hamid Karzai said Thursday, implicitly accepting a cut in the planned size of his military.
Western officials told AFP that no final agreements had been reached on funding or on the size of Afghanistan's security forces after combat troops in NATO's US-led International Security Assistance Force withdraw.
But Karzai told a graduation ceremony at a military academy in Kabul: "It's set that post 2014, for the next 10 years until 2024, the international community, with the US in the lead and followed by Europe and other countries, will pay Afghanistan security forces $4.1 billion annually."
It would cover both the army and "other armed forces", he said, adding: "We agree and thank them."
Karzai's Western allies in the war against Taliban insurgents want to avoid the country descending into civil war after they leave.
But while NATO officials have long projected future Afghan forces at 352,000 men, the United States recently circulated a proposal for a total strength of 230,000, and Western officials say the $4.1 billion cost is based on that figure.
It is a fraction of current Western spending on the war. The 10-year conflict has cost the United States, alone, more than $444 billion.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
And 90 percent of that will go into the Swiss bank accounts of Karzai and the rest of his corrupt cadre.
These dudes are going to be some very rich (and well armed) poppy farmers, and they are going to be able to afford the finest madrassas in Pakistan and elsewhere for their children
Pi$$ on Dawgcrapistan the 4 bil will go straight into the politico pockets and the US tax payer will get ripped off again!
Wait....wait....didn’t he just say we’re “demons”??? So he’s gonna take DEMON MONEY???
I think Mohammed would be displeased. Off with his head.
Why is Karzai accepting money from demons?
Let’s not just send them our money, let’s send them our criminals, too! Let’s see.....cost of a one-way flight to Afghanistan.....how much can a parachute cost?.....now that’s synergy.
Cost/Benefit analysis has been one of the problems with the way the war on terror has been waged.
What exactly are we getting for $4 billion?
I'd love to know the strategy if there is one, and why we think this nation is worth $4 billion a year to us.
What a waste of money.
The West will subsidize? And what proportion of the "West's" cost will be borne by the U.S.?
If by Afghan military you mean Karzai’s bank account.
I say withdraw all troops and aid, target Taliban/terrorists with drones, and let the ingrate Afghan savages stew in their Taliban juices.
How about THEY get their own 7th century savages under control for free, or they pay US the 4 billion to not take care of the problem, from orbit or a nuke sub?
I will work extra hard now that I know my taxes are going to subsidize America’s future enemies!
I’m not a Paulbot, but I sure agree with him concerning foreign aid: You would need to be a pretty staunch US ally, defending US interests, and in a situation where the US would otherwise be forced to spend even more to defend our own interests, before I would commit a penny of taxpayer dollars.
How much would a 50 megaton bomb cost instead? I think we’d get better bang for the buck.
Thus, the reduction in benefits and health-care for our military, active and retired.
It has already been proposed.
He should get money from his other muslim buddies, like the saudis, or the iranians .... who are a “global” power.
I have decided that all of this aid we give to Middle Eastern countries is nothing more than an updated form of the traditional tribute payments customary under Muslim law.
Back in the days of the Barbary Pirates, the various Sultans and Potentates in the Southern Medeterranean used to demand annual tribute payments from each European power, or they would harass their shipping and seize sailors for ransom. When the US declared independence, it was no longer covered by Great Britain’s tribute payments, so our ships started getting attacked.
The US response was swift and forceful. The slogan, at the time, was “Millions for the Navy, but not one cent for tribute!” We sent our newly constructed ships to the Shores of Tripoli, to arrange “Payment in Iron”.
And now, two hundred years later, every Sultan and Potentate in the area is getting a regular annual check from Uncle Sam. Nowadays it’s Billions for tribute, and not one cent for the Navy...
Who’s laughing now?
The new America; where we do not negotiate with terrosists, we just sell them arms and our racist Attn'y General and WH thugs run guns to drug cartels. Love the morality here./s
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