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December 21, 2011

U.S. Commander in Afghanistan Suggests Extended Occupation Beyond 2014 
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The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan has given new indications the U.S.
plans to keep its troops in Afghanistan beyond the 2014 timetable for
withdrawal. In what the New York Times calls the "most emphatic signal
to date" of U.S. designs to remain, General John Allen said talks on a
strategic agreement with the Afghan government would "almost certainly"
include "a discussion with Afghanistan of what a post-2014 force will
look like." General Allen added: "We would probably see some number of
advisers, trainers, intelligence specialists here for some period of
time beyond 2014."



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