With the future of US-led foreign troops in Afghanistan still in doubt, chairman of Afghanistan's Senate says he will not sign a security pact with Washington.

Not a problem. We don't need a security pact with Afghanistan. We need to withdraw all troops, equipment and economic assistance.

Following are the major arguments for continued assistance to the Afghan government and for keeping a small residual American force of ten to twenty thousand troops in Afghanistan. To each I have provided a response.

Al Qaeda will come back to rebuild training camps and recruit a new generation of jihadists.
As if Al Qaeda needs Afghanistan when it has Iraq, Syria, Pakistan and the whole of Northern Africa.

The country will tumble into chaos with thousands being murdered by Al Qaeda gangs just like Iraq.
The Afghan military is responsible for preventing this. It should be up to the task since we've spent billions training and equipping it.

Insure that we have a sanctuary from which we can watch, track and kill insurgents.
Right! Watch with binoculars, track with blood hounds, kill with rubber bullets. These will be the eventual restrictions placed on our troops.

An American intelligence base in Afghanistan will allow us to keep an eye on Iran.
Not needed. Israel and our Persian Gulf allies are far more effective at keeping an eye on Iran than any Afghan based intelligence operation would be.

A strike base in Afghanistan would be ideal for launching a strike against Iran nuclear facilities.
Anyone who thinks Afghanistan would permit the United States to strike Iran from bases on its soil is delusional.

Past costs in lives and money justifies our continued presence in Afghanistan.
No it does not. There comes a time in every endeavour when one has to weigh future gain against the cost of that gain. It's past time we cut our losses.

Of all the arguments for staying, the welfare of the Afghan people has the most moral and ethical meaning.
This argument is only valid if a United States presence could actually benefit the Afghan people. The past 12 years has shown this not to be the case.

Let the Afghan people determine the future of Afghanistan, whether it be a tribal society, rule by the Taliban or a strong central government.

December, 2013