Hillary Clinton says Afghanistan 'major non-Nato ally'

[alp227]

Source: BBC

The United States has given Afghanistan the status of "major non-Nato ally".

The designation, which includes countries such as Australia, Egypt and Israel, gives preferential access to US arms exports and defence co-operation.

The announcement was made by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on an unannounced visit to Kabul.

She was due to meet President Hamid Karzai, a day ahead of a major conference of Afghanistan's foreign donors in Japan.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18750732

[Spitfire of ATJ]

1. Get them to give up their nukes.

Then do the same in India.

[img][/img]

Those two countries need to go back to their old rivalry of seeing who can design the silliest headgear.

[img][/img]

[crimson77]

9. You have the wrong backward country, You mean Pakistan.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

10. Already covered.

[bemildred]

2. Wow.

Are we doubling down on Afghanistan? Or just pretending to?

[may3rd]

14. Whatever the Obama admin has up their sleeve, they are keeping close to their vest

I wonder when the Syrians invite us in to play poker

[FarCenter]

3. The main effect is to make it easier to buy arms from the US

The donors conference in Tokyo is looking to get major funding for Afghanistan from 70 donors.

The objective is undoubtedly to funnel most of this back into the US arms industry. Arms accounts for a large fraction of US manufacturing output. War is a racket.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

4. There's another perspective

It tells Pakistan they don't need to become allies with Iran and thus share their nukes with Iran in return.

[FarCenter]

7. The story is about Afghanistan, not Pakistan

[Spitfire of ATJ]

8. Sorry. I saw another story of Pakistan opening up our ability to use their roads again.

And thought this was linked.

[may3rd]

15. A lot of opium grows in that nation...

just putting in my two cents

[Comrade Grumpy]

5. So what happens when the Taliban become part of the Afghan government?

It's either that or continuing civil war. And remember, we are trying to negotiate with them as Western forces skedaddle.

Will the Taliban then become a "major non-NATO ally," too?

[sofa king]

6. If you count the NATO troops there...

... they ARE a NATO country.

[may3rd]

11. Afghan woman publicly executed near Kabul ( Let freedom ring )

Time to cut and run. They love allah more than their own children anyway

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2012/07/201277222459392722.html

[Brigid]

12. Not one word in this article about women's rights.

Women's rights are being sacrificed on the altar of -- what, exactly? Diplomacy? It's sickening. Why do we need a primitive rockpile like that for an ally?

[alp227]

13. Exactly, in fact have you heard of this story about the Taliban executing a woman for adultery?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014161145

[may3rd]

16. ..If we can't change our friends view on life .....we must change ourselves

and accept our friends for what they are..... Maybe be more like them

/sarc

[Brigid]

19. Umm . . .

No.

[Brigid]

18. Oooh, yes.

And some wonder why I think of the Afghans as a bunch of backward barbarians.

[earthside]

17. An Obama Administration FAIL

More military commitments to failed states is ultimate a 'FAIL' for the United States and working and middle class taxpayers.

For those on the far reactionary right, where is the appeasing socialist in this kind of policy decision?
And, for those who argue that Pres. Obama is a progressive ... well, this is a pretty rightwing foreign policy action.

Needless to say, I am very disappointed that the Obama administration has done this -- we are never getting out of Afghanistan.

[Marrah_G]

20. Maybe she means Frenemies!