Over the weekend a defiant Hamid Karzai blasted the United States and its NATO partners by suggesting (in no uncertain terms) “if they (US/NATO) wants to leave (Afghanistan), they should leave today.” Adding “no pressure, no threat, no psychological war can force us to sign the BSA (Bilateral Security Agreement).”
President Karzai also indicated among other things that the U.S. should engage in talks with the Taliban – an ultra violent extremist terrorist organization which receives indirect funding from Saudi Arabia the world’s largest covert financier of terrorism in the entire world.
See special report: WikiLeaks cables portray Saudi Arabia as a cash machine for terrorists
Hillary Clinton memo highlights Gulf states’ failure to block funding for groups like al-Qaida, Taliban and Lashkar-e-Taiba (http://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/05/wikileaks-cables-saudi-terrorist-funding).
Thus far over 2309 American service members have been killed in the bloody war in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom – the longest war in modern U.S. history.
Its also the most costliest with expenses now exceeding $721,199,267, 956 dollars and counting at the astounding rate of $10.46 million dollars each hour (24 hours each day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks a year).
“Its freaking insane madness” said one U.S. Marine PFC (Private First Class) serving in Afghanistan with an elite unit – whose disclosed the fact that his wife and kids rely on food stamps assistance just to be able to purchase food at the PX (base exchange) in North Carolina.
This Marine refused permission for us to divulge his name out of fear his commanders could find out and punish him punitively for speaking with “unauthorized members of the press” (AKA: me). He also specifically requested I not use his unit’s name or location in Afghanistan- out of an abundance of caution for the safety of his fellow Marines in terms of operational security. Of course we honor that request.