The incoming commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), Gen. John F. Campbell, has said that majority of the Afghans want prolonged US and NATO forces presence in Afghanistan.
Gen. Campbell was discussing his upcoming tour as NATO commander during a media round-table at the Pentagon on August 1st, as he departs for Afghanistan later this month.
Gen. Campbell said he hopes there will be an agreement that allows U.S. and NATO forces to stay in Afghanistan until the country becomes more stable. “Ninety-nine percent of the Afghans want us to stay,” he said.
He commended Pakistan for its recent operation in Waziristan and he said he hopes efforts like those will continue.
Pakistan and Afghanistan need to remove the terror “that threatens their people and their way of life,” Campbell said, adding that, “This is what they’re doing to civilians. This is how bad it is. Let’s work together to figure out solutions. What we’ll try to do is continue to work this [military-to-military] relationship.”
The draft bilateral security agreement between Kabul and Washington was endorsed by majority during the consultative Loya Jirga in November last year. However, President Hamid Karzai refused to sign the agreement and set certain preconditions for the signing of the agreement.
In the meantime, there are optimisms that the the security agreement between Kabul and Washington will be signed by President Hamid Karzai’s successor since the two contenders have vowed to sign the pact once they take office as the next leader of the country.
The signing of the bilateral security agreement between Kabul and Washington will pave the way for the signing of a similar agreement between the Afghan government and NATO alliance.
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
Majority of Afghans want prolonged US and NATO presence in Afghanistan
The incoming commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF), Gen. John F. Campbell, has said that majority of the Afghans want prolonged US and NATO forces presence in Afghanistan.
Gen. Campbell was discussing his upcoming tour as NATO commander during a media round-table at the Pentagon on August 1st, as he departs for Afghanistan later this month.
Gen. Campbell said he hopes there will be an agreement that allows U.S. and NATO forces to stay in Afghanistan until the country becomes more stable. “Ninety-nine percent of the Afghans want us to stay,” he said.
He commended Pakistan for its recent operation in Waziristan and he said he hopes efforts like those will continue.
Pakistan and Afghanistan need to remove the terror “that threatens their people and their way of life,” Campbell said, adding that, “This is what they’re doing to civilians. This is how bad it is. Let’s work together to figure out solutions. What we’ll try to do is continue to work this [military-to-military] relationship.”
The draft bilateral security agreement between Kabul and Washington was endorsed by majority during the consultative Loya Jirga in November last year. However, President Hamid Karzai refused to sign the agreement and set certain preconditions for the signing of the agreement.
In the meantime, there are optimisms that the the security agreement between Kabul and Washington will be signed by President Hamid Karzai’s successor since the two contenders have vowed to sign the pact once they take office as the next leader of the country.
The signing of the bilateral security agreement between Kabul and Washington will pave the way for the signing of a similar agreement between the Afghan government and NATO alliance.
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