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Philippe Wojazer / AFP - Getty Images
Afghan President Hamid Karzai attends a working session on Monday on the second day of the NATO Summit in Chicago.
Updated at 5:50 p.m. ET: CHICAGO -- NATO leaders sealed a landmark agreement on Monday to hand control of Afghanistan over to its own security forces by the middle of next year.
Leaders gathered at a NATO summit in Chicago formally endorsed a U.S.-backed strategy that calls for a gradual exit of foreign combat troops by the end of 2014 but left major questions unanswered about how to prevent a slide into chaos and a Taliban resurgence after the allies are gone.
“Today we have taken further important steps on the road to a stable and secure Afghanistan and to our goal of preventing Afghanistan from ever again becoming a safe haven for terrorists that threaten Afghanistan, the region, and the world,” NATO members said in a joint declaration.
The two-day meeting of the 28-nation alliance marked a milestone in a war sparked by the September 11 attacks that has spanned three U.S. presidential terms and outlasted al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.
President Barack Obama and NATO partners sought to show their war-weary voters the end is in sight in Afghanistan - a conflict that has strained Western budgets as well as patience - while at the same time trying to reassure Afghans that they will not be abandoned.
A decision by France's new President Francois Hollande to pull out French troops by the end of December - two years ahead of NATO's timetable - has raised fears that other allies may also think about a rush to the exits.
After at least 45 people were arrested over the weekend amid violent clashes at the NATO summit in Chicago. NBC's Chuck Todd reports.
Obama acknowledged NATO's plan was fraught with risk even as he touted it as a sound approach.
"We are now unified behind a plan to responsibly wind down the war in Afghanistan," Obama told the summit's closing news conference.
Activists express disbelief at NATO summit bomb plot arrests
Alliance leaders, in a final communiqué, ratified plans for the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force to hand over command of all combat missions to Afghan forces by the middle of 2013 and for the withdrawal of most of the 130,000 foreign troops by the end of 2014.
The statement deemed it an "irreversible" transition to full security responsibility for fledgling Afghan troops, and said NATO's mission in 2014 would shift to a training and advisory role. "This will not be a combat mission," it said.
Doubts remain, however, whether Afghan forces will have the capability to stand up against a still-potent Taliban insurgency that Western forces have failed to defeat in nearly 11 years of fighting.
NATO summit prompts little buzz on streets of Kabul
NATO diplomats said thinking had moved to the logistical challenge of getting a multinational army that size out of the Afghan mountains and deserts and back home - safely and with their equipment.
They said the aim was to sign a framework agreement with Afghanistan's northern neighbor, Uzbekistan, to allow "reverse transit" of NATO supplies from Afghanistan.
NATO has also been trying to persuade Pakistan to reopen its territory to NATO supplies, which Islamabad has blocked since NATO forces killed 24 Pakistani soldiers forces in a cross-border incident last year.
But despite a face-to-face encounter with Pakistan's president, Obama failed to resolve the dispute.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, speaking at a joint press conference with Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki after touring Lovell Federal Health Care Center in Chicago, said that the two sides "still have a ways to go."
Meanwhile, anti-war protesters staged a peaceful march on the headquarters of U.S. defense contractor Boeing. Between 200 and 300 demonstrators, some throwing paper planes, gathered in a festive atmosphere outside the company's headquarters.
Occupy Chicago, the local chapter of the loose-knit anti-Wall Street Occupy movement, had promised to shut down Boeing's headquarters, which it called "NATO's war machine."
The demonstrators gathered only briefly outside Boeing's building and then moved on.
The demonstration came a day after a protest march Sunday that was one of the city's largest in years, with thousands of people airing grievances about war, climate change, economic inequality and a wide range of other complaints.
Some protesters hurled sticks and bottles at police. Officers responded by swinging their batons. The two sides were locked in a standoff for two hours.
Forty-five protesters were arrested and four officers were hurt, including one who was stabbed in the leg, police said.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this story.
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Leave a Comment:
NATO's firm plans for military withdrawal from Afghanistan are about as firm as another rant by Ben Bernanke on 'positive economic signs'.
it's past time to end this action and get our troops home.
With obama as CIC today is a good day for them to come up. No need to fight and sacrifice for a guy that will sell you out.
Have the Taliban formerly accepted our terms of surrender?
Just walk out from that @!$%#-hole Afghanistan and get our troops home. If NATO wants to hang around, let them. No troops from the USA and no money from the USA.
And for Afghanistan - Enjoy the Taliban, they are more like you every day, or, is it that you are more like them, every day?
Pull out before too late
How wonderful. Now can all you charming world leaders go back to your own countries and allow us to reopen our travel routes in Chicago?
Don't forget to take your 59 foot dinner table with you.
Why wasn't anything reported on:
Oh, that is right.....Mr. Obama will probably announce it AFTER the Presidential election. Wait a minute, he is going to lose.
This 'firming up' is another 'believe it when we see it' deal
NATO is the equivalency of terrorism.... Obama is responsible for continuing the Bush Jr. legacy when it comes to war without end.... despicable. :(
For every US Serviceman/woman's Death from here on out, it is President Obama's toll. He had better not keep allowing what he promised to change to remain the W Bush Doctrine, as accurately pointed out by Fed Up.
Eventually, EVERYONE will catch on. Unfortunately, he only has Romney to slug it out with as to the future Office of The POTUS, so the Puppet Masters can continue to reap the Profit$ for a couple more years.
Thanks for all of the Good done by this war, whatever that may boil down to... Framing this war on terror without circumspect attacks of those many Oil Friendly and Unfriendly Countries which are still the base and homeland for this overstretched excuse for fear mongering means the Effort is contrived and convenient. I have heard of some recent Yemen Drone activity but why the delay if we are truly not allowing International and Sovereign borders to stop this quest of doom against jihadists no matter where they may hide?
Rhetoric.
Now let our Servicemen and Women return to their homes, families, and making the US a prosperous country.
Peace
You can't win fighting there so let them come out and fight. Pull out, if they want to play a game we can play games. All we have to do is hit them hard and fast and leave, we don't need to stay. This is not the type of war where civilians are not the target, we are, we must be cold and make civilians the target too if you think they are not helping them you're a fool, no not all but if you can tell which ones then you should be over there pointing them out and saving them. Do you want to win or loose that is the only option and choice, the civilians are the bombs, we don't loose until we turn are civilians into bombs for our gods. Please prove me wrong but don't wait to long I don't want to find your kids dead in a class room here! 9/11 was to much proof for me history has already shown us, Nam was the same way they drew are big army in and left when it got to hot, we didn't have the wear with all to go after what we need to, get close enough to one of our tanks with a human bomb and it blows up just the same as if it was hit with a tank buster. There are no lines in this battle. This is an act and react battle, I hope we can act first, we must break the WILL! Take out one leader they will replace them as long as they have people to support them, the population is behind them they can fight forever, they will supply and feed them break the will of the people who support them and they die. We died in NAM! We lost the will of the people, we are loosing the will of the people, what I am proposing would probably lose the will of the people. In old Rome in you killed a citizen they sacked your town now do you understand put the blame on them we loose a citizen for any reason from them we will sack you country!!!!! forget the U.N. Tell the other Countries you want this to end we will end it!
NATO doesn't really exist, NATO is the United States, these nations have no say when or if the war ends, there votes don't count. The nation ordering the US military and pulling the strings is Israel. Once and only when Israel is happy the the beginning of genecide of the Arabs will Israel order the US to leave Afganistan.
So who is going to carry the white flag? obama or France. France has more experience but I think obama is better at butt kissing.
To the Afghan People .. you are screwed. Get rid of the radiso and tvs, grow your beards and get the Burqas out. The NATO "exit plan" as conceived by Hollande and obama will resemble the Fall of Saigon.
I lay out my bet now! 90 days the Taliban will take over Kabul.
So who cares if the Taliban does take over kabul, we supported the Taliban during the Russian invasion. Besides the different tribes or political interests in Afghanistan have always protected their meager self interests vigorously. America is not all of a sudden waving a white flag----we never controlled the country in the first place and never really expected too.....maybe you and other Bush disciples thought there was a chance of creating a democracy and a christian party in Afghanistan, but that's about it....
The Taliban never controlled Afghanistan either polo. The best part to me will be the images of them dragging Karzai and his corrupt family's bodies in the street and see Karzai's head on a pike. So when they return to executing people at soccer games, stoning women, summary executions just remember you are fine with that.
America is all of a sudden waving a white flag. At least Obama is for purpose of re-election.
nato exit plan..
run..run..run..
put obungler "leading" from behind with his white flag..
vietnam surrender re-visited...
The fact is the United States has had a very unsavory political history with Pakistan. Pakistan shares a very long common border with Afghanistan and has always been very involved with the Afgans. American foreign policy positions have been on both sides of the prevailing powers in Afghanistan and Pakistan over the past 30-40 years. NATO is not irrelevant and is signaling that it is time to exit Afghanistan and let the chips fall as they may. A power vacuum is expected, and the governments will make concessions with the various tribal interests and time will move on...
"NATO leaders sealed a landmark agreement on Monday to hand control of Afghanistan over to its own security forces by the middle of next year."
This ought to be good.
The word "utopia" comes to mind ...
To attain that goal we would have to leave so many troops for so many years its not funny.
Also as long as the Taliban is around it may become a safe haven for terrorists again. Even without the Taliban there is no guarantee.
We just need to leave ASAP, and let them take responsibility for their own country. Lets take care of our own country and our people at home.
Hah. The Taliban will retake Afghanistan the day we pull out. Just GTFO now. We can't win it.
The only one that doesn't seem happy about this a Karzai... no more hand outs.
And why do anti-war protesters; protest the war exit? F-ing dumb asses. In case you don't remember Afgainistain harbored the people responsiable for killing over 3,000 American inocent lives and our allies in NATO, a Treaty Organization vowed to commit their resources.
Know wonder we are having a difficult time rebounding from adversity. Try being born in the 1920's, go talk to your grandfathers before their gone and stop acting so dam spoiled.
I don't understand why afghanistan would feel abandoned if we leave right away, they are better off right now than they have ever been in their lives!!! what they would feel is the loss of the billions of dollars we've given their worthless leaders, who squander the money with no real progress!! it's just viet nam all over again, the people are with you one day and against you the next!!! I say get out soon!!!
Things seem to move quickly when there's an election at hand. Maybe we should have presidential elections every year.
What is the difference of leaving Afghastan today versus 2014? It's a no brainer either way, the Taiban will take the controls of Afghastan government. Karzai will run off to his multi-million dollar villa in Dubia. Which us tax-payers helped paid for it.
What did we gain from invading Afghastan? (Not a thing.) We invaded Iraq and killed their leader with a new government in place. Who ends up with the most oil from Iraq?(China,they have the money)If we are lucky as we are from the Vietgong. Walmart will get shirts for us from Afghastan and Iraq. Not a bad deal costing us tax payers billions and billions of our dollars. (As the world turns in America.)
My gut tells me that we're there because it's profitable for some people. Political agendas are donkey-dust. The ones who call the shots couldn't give a rat's patootie if half the world harbored "terrorists" - the bottom line is money - plain and simple. Greed drives imperialism drives war. Most of the time, the poor and middle class pay the freight, in taxes and dead children/fathers/husbands.
When will they ever learn? The answer is blowin' in the wind. Laugh about the 60s folk mantra if you want, but it's still as valid today as it was then. We're older, but none the wiser, and every time we turn around, the "powers that be" are getting us into another "situation" - not quite a war (that would require commitment), but enough to keep the manufacturers of military hardware and body bags happy. If Afghanistan ends, can the next adventure be far behind? If you don't grasp that, I have some prime ocean-front property in Wyoming that might interest you.
Can they get all the Americans out by this weekend?
one proposal calls for the United States to pitch in about $2.2 billion or more of the estimated $4 billion a year needed to sustain the army and police, with the Afghan government contributing $500 million and allies covering the remaining $1.3 billion.
U.S. financial and security support for Afghanistan until 2024......
so we plan on releasing 250,000 US troops due to RIF over 5 year period but we can pay for their police and army? thanks for taking care of the people who make you look good Mr. President..better yet i am sure that money can be used for everyone in America..
don't get me wrong I am proud of my 6 combat cruises and 1 boots on ground tour but it is time to either let us do our job and quit pussy footing around or let them fend for themselves..they don't want our help,just our money...and what happens when that money is misspent..we will be right back playing auditor.