Interview: U.S. Solidifying Presence In Afghanistan

Press TV
July 9, 2013

US solidifying presence in Afghanistan: Analyst

AUDIO

The United States will not leave Afghanistan “without solidifying military presence of abuse against countries in the general region”, says Rick Rozoff, manager of the organization Stop NATO.

“The U.S. has a vested interest in offsetting the influence of nations like China, Russia, India, Iran, even Turkey,” Rozoff told Press TV’s U.S. Desk on Tuesday.

“To believe that the U.S. would completely withdraw its military presence from Afghanistan seems puzzling …. It does not fit into this scenario that’s been elaborated since the invasion of this country on October 7, 2001,” he stated.

“The U.S. has been exerting ..a little pressure on its client regime in Kabul, Hamid Karzai to retain U.S. military basis in the country,” he added.

U.S. and European officials say President Barack Obama is seriously considering to speed up the withdrawal of the American troops from Afghanistan and to a “zero option” that would leave no American forces in the country after 2014.

This comes as the last month effort by Washington to begin peace talks with the Taliban in Qatar failed. Karzai rejected the talks and ended negotiations with the U.S. over the long-term security deal, which is necessary to maintain U.S. troops in Afghanistan following 2014.