US may use 'military means' to defend Afghanistan until 2024

Published: 23 April, 2012, 16:07

The long-waited withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan may be not as “full” as had been expected. The US will help defend the country militarily for at least a decade after Afghans take control of their security, a National Security Adviser said.

The pledge is contained in the new strategic pact agreed between the two countries on Sunday, Rangin Dadfar Spanta said on Monday. A section of this pact implies that the US will not to use Afghanistan as a launch pad for attacks on other countries in the region, including for drone strikes.

However he stressed that the US will only come to Afghanistan's aid with approval from Kabul.

Washington may use “diplomatic means, political means, economic means and even military means,” the official said, as cited by AP.

FULL STORY: http://rt.com/news/us-afghanistan-pact-decade-739/