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| --Tech & Moderator Notes |
| France, Karzai urge NATO Afghanistan exit |
| 2012-01-27 |
| FRANCE and Afghanistan will ask NATO to hand over all combat missions to the Afghan military in 2013, a year earlier than planned, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said. It signalled a sharp break by France, the fourth-largest troop contributor in Afghanistan, from its previous plans to adhere to the US goal of withdrawing combat forces by the end of 2014. The proposal was made a week after four unarmed French troops were killed by an Afghan soldier described as a Taliban infiltrator. Mr Sarkozy, who made the announcement during a visit by Afghan President Hamid Karzai, said France has informed President Barack Obama of the plan, and will present it at a February 2-3 meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels. Mr Sarkozy said he was planning a phone call with Mr Obama on the matter today. The effort comes at a time of widespread fatigue among European contributors to the 10-year allied intervention in Afghanistan, and would accelerate a gradual drawdown of NATO troops that Mr Obama has planned to see through until the end of 2014. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #4 ...and if he isn't then he deserves whatever he gets. |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2012-01-27 18:51 |
| #3 Don't worry, OldSpook. If Karzai has any sense at all he'll be sitting in his Swiss chalet and counting his money by then. |
| Posted by: Ebbang Uluque6305 2012-01-27 18:50 |
| #2 Just be sure Karzai knows that if circumstance force us to come back, we will only be flying over, not landing -- and making the rubble bounce, starting with his palace, tribe and properties. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2012-01-27 18:19 |
| #1 Fine. Make Karzai's security detail the first troops out of the country. See how eager he is for us to leave then. |
| Posted by: Rambler in Virginia 2012-01-27 17:45 |