Breaking News Alert: U.S.-led Afghan reconstruction projects to end because of security dispute

[1776Forever]

Source: Washington Post

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October 21, 2010 4:52:10 PM
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U.S.-funded development firms are beginning to shut down massive reconstruction projects in Afghanistan because the Afghan government has refused to rescind a ban on their use of private security guards, according to U.S. officials and aid workers.

The decision to start shuttering the projects, collectively worth hundreds of millions of dollars, could have far-reaching effects on the U.S.-led military campaign against the Taliban.

....Another U.S. official said the ban would affect about $1.5 billion in ongoing reconstruction work. More than 20,000 Afghans will lose jobs in road-building and energy projects alone, the official said.

The prohibition, which was enacted by President Hamid Karzai, has emerged as the latest flashpoint in the oft-strained U.S.-Afghan relationship, raising new questions about his willingness to cooperate with the international community and potentially complicating crucial year-end assessments of the war effort by the White House and NATO.

The ban, which goes into effect Dec. 17, affects all development firms and non-governmental organizations, including those funded by other countries and the United Nations. It also applies to private contractors who guard supply convoys for the military bearing food, fuel and other essential supplies, as well as to international banks and other private entities whose services support reconstruction work.



Read more: http://link.email.washingtonpost.com/r/U38ITL/26ON1G/DKA01Y/V5OLO9/6QYVX/LE/h

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Bring them home!

[valerief]

1. What's Xe to do? I'm sure there'll be another war/dev project somewhere else.

Maybe the US.

[cutlassmama]

5. They will go wherever there is oil.

[Plucketeer]

2. How the heck are we gonna blow all that cash we've alotted?

We sure ta hell don't wanna spend it HERE!!!

[lsewpershad]

3. Time to leave

[Soylent Brice]

4. K&R

[1776Forever]

6. Breaking News Alert: U.S.-led Afghan reconstruction projects to end because of security dispute

Source: Washington Post

----------------------------------------
October 21, 2010 4:52:10 PM
----------------------------------------

U.S.-funded development firms are beginning to shut down massive reconstruction projects in Afghanistan because the Afghan government has refused to rescind a ban on their use of private security guards, according to U.S. officials and aid workers.

The decision to start shuttering the projects, collectively worth hundreds of millions of dollars, could have far-reaching effects on the U.S.-led military campaign against the Taliban.



Read more: http://link.email.washingtonpost.com/r/U38ITL/26ON1G/DKA01Y/V5OLO9/6QYVX/LE/h

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Bring them home!

[aquart]

7. We are not the ones who should be doing this rebuilding

And certainly not if it has to be under constant guard.

[Nihil]

8. You broke it, you own it.

You bombed the shit out of a country for a mixture of commercial and political
reasons (and largely "because you could").

And now - because of the behaviour of the guard-dogs - you're running away.

Tell me again why the Afghans don't like you?