Hundreds of Afghans protest long-term pact with US

[The Northerner]

Source: Associated Press

KABUL, Afghanistan—More than 1,000 university students blocked a main highway in eastern Afghanistan on Sunday as they protested against any agreement that would allow U.S. troops to stay in Afghanistan after a planned transfer of authority in 2014.

An assembly of more than 2,000 tribal elders and dignitaries known as a loya jirga endorsed the idea of such agreement in a conference that ended on Saturday, though they also backed a series of conditions proposed by Afghan President Hamid Karzai including the end of night raids by international troops and complete Afghan control over detainees.

The protesters in Jalalabad city blocked the road to Kabul as they shouted "Death to America! Death to Karzai!" They said they would not accept any partnership with the United States.

Both the resolution and the protests reflect the tension in Afghanistan between a desire for real sovereignty and the need to bolster the relatively weak government against the still-strong Taliban insurgency.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20111120/as-afghanistan/

[No Elephants]

1. We don't seem to have the hang of that whole winning hearts and minds thing.

[Chipper Chat]

2. Hmmmm...students! I'm getting flashbacks vis-a-vis Iran, 1979.

I hope Obama doesn't have to endure another hostage crisis of sorts. But this smells like a budding problem.

[defendandprotect]

3. K/R -- This is the one that will allow joint military bases in Afghanistan beyond 2024 -- !!