US declares Afghanistan major non-NATO ally

Kabul – The Obama administration on Saturday declared Afghanistan the United States’ newest ‘major non-NATO ally,’ setting the stage for a closer defense cooperation between the two nations once US combat troops leave the country in 2014.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the new status Saturday in Kabul where she held talks with President Hamid Karzai.


She said after meeting with Mr. Karzai that Afghanistan