US sees Afghanistan as linchpin of its global hegemonic agenda: Analyst

The United States wants to maintain a military foothold in Afghanistan because it sees the country as a "critical linchpin of its global hegemonic agenda, especially with Central Asia," an American geopolitical analyst says.

Eric Draitser, the founder of Stopimperialism.com, made the remarks in an interview with Press TV on Friday, after US President Barack Obama abandoned his plan to pull out American troops from Afghanistan.

On Thursday, Obama announced plans to keep nearly 10,000 US troops in Afghanistan through 2016 and some 5,500 in 2017, reneging on his promise to end the war there and bring home most American forces from the Asian country before he leaves office.

“The US-backed government in Kabul… is simply unable to consolidate control. So the United States sees that it needs to maintain a military presence, a military foothold in order to be able to maintain its sway in that country,” Draitser said.

“But I would posit that there are a number of other reasons why the US is doing this, that of course will not be discussed in the mainstream media in the West.

“Especially, number one is a response to Russia’s assertiveness in Syria. The United States just does not want to be seen leaving Central Asia, taking its military out of Afghanistan at precisely the moment that Russia moves military into the Middle East.

“It would essentially be from the perceptive of the strategic planners in Washington ceding possible control of Afghanistan to the non-Western alliance, specifically Russia, and especially China.

“This growing assertiveness by China in Afghanistan is something that also is not discussed in the media. The Chinese have been the principle instigators of negotiations and mediation between Taliban officials and Chinese officials, and indirectly with the government in Kabul.

“So the Chinese are positioning themselves diplomatically and politically as major players in a post-occupation Afghanistan.

“And for that reason, the United States and its partners in NATO, do not want to leave Afghanistan, do not want to see China move in with economic development, economic partnership, do not want to see Afghanistan integrated and incorporated into Chinese-led economic development and the new Silk Road belt, and all of the other projects that the Chinese are offering on the table.

“So there’s that element of course, there is the Russia angle as well. And naturally also the United States sees Afghanistan as really a critical linchpin of a boarder global hegemonic agenda especially with Central Asia. 

“This is of course Brzezinski’s idea going back to the 1990s that Central Asia was really critical for the US hegemony and the future of US hegemony.

“And for that reason of course, the US is now extending what is clearly the longest war in its history. The US is now in Afghanistan for the foreseeable future.”

According to US officials, Washington would not only keep thousands of troops in Afghanistan, but also maintain a large fleet of terror drones there to fight Taliban militants.

The US and its allies invaded Afghanistan on October 7, 2001 as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but after more than 14 years, the foreign troops have still not been able to establish security in the country. 

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