The Obama Administration has already begun limited withdrawals of troops from the desperate and frustrating landscape of Afghanistan.    Promises to the American people are that the $6.7 billion per month battle will be scaled back significantly by next Summer.  The deeper cry from women, mothers, and families throughout the United States is to “Bring our soldiers home.”

Today’s British Telegraph and Correspondent Ben Farmer reports a different story:

“America and Afghanistan are close to signing a strategic pact which would allow thousands of United States troops to remain in the country until at least 2024, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.”

Farmer reports from Kabul, that the agreement would allow not only military trainers to stay to build up Afghan army and police, but also allow American special forces and air power to have a presence.

The Obama administration is certainly not putting any such strategy on the front pages in the U.S., and the rumors of such a deal are already causing anger among Afghanistan neighbors, Iran and Pakistan.  Not to mention that the Taliban will not be willing to sit down for any negotiations with the U.S. or Afghan government leaders with such long -term US involvement on the table.

Since9-11 the U.S. has spent over 1.28 Trillion in three key military actions:

“Congress has approved a total of $1.283 trillion for military operations, base security,
reconstruction, foreign aid, embassy costs, and veterans’ health care for the three operations initiated
since the 9/11 attacks: Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) Afghanistan and other counter terror
operations; Operation Noble Eagle (ONE), providing enhanced security at military bases; and
Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF). This estimate assumes that the current CR level continues through the
rest of the year and that agencies allocate reductions proportionately.”

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Filed under: Economy, Featured, Inside The KC, Politics, Sonja Eddings Brown by Sonja Eddings Brown, Aug 21, 2011