During his State of the Union Address on Tuesday, U.S. President Barack Obama indicated he had every intention to leave a contingent of American and NATO allied troops in Afghanistan post-2014, but said he awaited the consent of the Afghan government.
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"If the Afghan government signs a security agreement that we have negotiated, a small force of Americans could remain in Afghanistan with NATO allies to carry out two narrow missions: training and assisting Afghan forces, and counterterrorism operations to pursue any remnants of al-Qaida," he said.
"After 2014, we will support a unified Afghanistan as it takes responsibility for its own future," Obama said. "If the Afghan government signs an agreement that we have negotiated, a small force of Americans could stay in Afghanistan with NATO allies to carry out two narrow missions: training and assisting Afghan forces, and counter-terror operation to pursue any remnants of Al Qaeda," he said referring to the still pending Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA).
"While our relationship with Afghanistan will change, one thing will not, our resolve that terrorists do not launch attacks against our country," he said to roaring applause in the gallery filled with Congressmen, Cabinet members and Supreme Court justices.
In this episode of Farakhabar, host Yama Siawash discusses the topic with the following guests:
Amin Habibi, political analyst
Moen Mrastyal, a member of the right and justice party