Context
The US special envoy on Monday revealed that “some” US forces may remain in Afghanistan after 2014. The Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman stated it was possible for there to “be space for some American forces to be left in Afghanistan after 2014 to engage in counter-terrorism and counter-narcotics and continue to train Afghan forces.”
The US had announced that the ultimate goal was to transfer the security control of the country to Afghan security officials by 2014 as listed in the guidelines established by NATO in Lisbon last year.
The decision may be met with opposition from Russia. Russian envoy to NATO Dmitry Rogozin said last week that Russia will not agree to a U.S. military presence in Afghanistan after the UN mandate date for the transfer of power.
