TEAM FARAH - Members of Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah, including U.S. troops, meet with Ellalaha Noorzai, Farah Director of Social Affairs, and building contractors during a mission to a vocational school in Farah City in Afghanistan's Farah province, Aug. 17, 2011. Noorzai and team members discussed the recent completion of the school. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Alexandra HoachlanderUS Troops May Stay In Afghanistan Until 2024 -- The Telegraph
America and Afghanistan are close to signing a strategic pact which would allow thousands of United States troops to remain in the country until at least 2024, The Daily Telegraph can disclose.
The agreement would allow not only military trainers to stay to build up the Afghan army and police, but also American special forces soldiers and air power to remain.
The prospect of such a deal has already been met with anger among Afghanistan’s neighbours including, publicly, Iran and, privately, Pakistan.
It also risks being rejected by the Taliban and derailing any attempt to coax them to the negotiating table, according to one senior member of Hamid Karzai’s peace council.
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More News On Afghanistan
U.S. 'close' to signing deal to keep troops in Afghanistan until at least 2024 -- Daily Mail
Deal to keep US forces in Kabul -- Sydney Morning Herald
FACTBOX-Security developments in Afghanistan, Aug 21 -- Reuters
Okla. Guard hit hard in Afghanistan fighting -- Army Times/AP
Afghan prosecutor killed in motorbike attack -- Al Jazeera
Gunmen on motorcycles shoot and kill government prosecutor -- Washington Post
3rd 'Turban bomb' attack rocks southern Helmand province -- Long War Journal
Militants kill 8 in raid on British compound in Afghanistan -- L.A. Times
Kabul attack: UK sympathy over NZ soldier death -- BBC
UK troops in Afghanistan 'friendly-fire' 19 times -- BBC
Afghan poll body backs president's court, orders 9 MPs out -- Reuters
Afghan election commission expels 9 lawmakers -- CNN
How about a vacation to Afghanistan? -- MSNBC
Panetta Discusses Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan -- US Department of Defense
Q+A interview with Afghanistan Correspondent Jon Boone -- Scoop.co.nz