Press TV
January 20, 2015
US military to stay in Afghanistan ‘indefinitely’: Activist
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The US military plans to remain in Afghanistan “indefinitely” and conduct military operations inside the country for “years to come” despite the formal ending of US combat operations, an anti-war activist in Chicago says.
“The war [in Afghanistan] is not going to end in the imminent future,” said Rick Rozoff, a member of Stop NATO International.
“Western military forces who have been in the country for over 13 years…are to be there for an indefinite period of time,” Rozoff told Press TV on Tuesday.
The US and its allies invaded Afghanistan in 2001 as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but insecurity continues across the country, despite the presence of thousands of US-led troops.
The US-led combat mission in Afghanistan ended on December 31, 2014. However, some 13,500 foreign forces, mainly from the United States, will remain in Afghanistan in what is said to be a support mission.
The US-led NATO says the forces will focus more narrowly on counterterrorism and on training Afghan soldiers and policemen.
“The effort to portray a complete withdrawal of military personnel and an end of armed hostilities in the country is largely politically driven because of the [US] presidential election next year,” Rozoff said.
“The US will continue to directly and through its Afghan national army proxies conduct military operations in that country for years to come,” he added.
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