NOVANEWS
Washington seeks to keep its military force and bases in Afghanistan in order to maintain US military power in the Middle East, says Brian Becker, national coordinator of the A.N.S.W.E.R Coalition.
Deep disagreements over legal immunity for American soldiers and the controversial issue of night raids by foreign troops have held up the security pact between Washington and the government of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
US Secretary of State John Kerry called Karzai on Tuesday to convince him to let American forces carry out night raids on Afghan homes in �œexceptional circumstances.”
�œThe United States government�™s proposed pact or new treaty with the Karzai government demonstrates the colonial character of the relationship,” Becker said in a phone interview on Wednesday.
�œThe United States offers to maintain military troops and military bases in Afghanistan but on the condition that American soldiers can never be held up to justice inside of a court controlled by the Afghan people no matter what crime they might commit,” he added.
On Thursday, an assembly of around 3,000 Afghan tribal elders and other prominent figures are expected to attend a traditional council known as Loya Jirga to discuss the security pact.
The security agreement, if finalized, will give US forces one main base at Bagram, near Kabul, and the right to station troops on eight other military bases across the country.
Becker said, �œThe United States wants to maintain military bases in Afghanistan not to fight against al-Qaeda but in order to maintain US military power in this geo-strategically important area of the world.”
�œThe interests of the United States are not actually the interests of the people of the United States but they are the interests of the elite, the corporations, the banks, the oil and gas companies and of course first and foremost the Pentagon,” he concluded .
