US declares Afghanistan major non-NATO ally
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The Obama administration on Saturday declared Afghanistan the United States' newest "major non-NATO ally," an action designed to facilitate close defense cooperation after US combat troops withdraw from the country in 2014 and as a political statement of support for Afghanistan's long-term stability.
US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, who arrived in Kabul on an unannounced visit to meet Afghan President Hamid Karzai, disclosed the alliance to diplomats at the US Embassy. (AP)
