Senator Lindsey Graham wants permanent bases in Afghanistan:
I hope we can find an enduring relationship with Afghanistan that will make sure that country never goes back in the hands of terrorists. And the idea of putting permanent military bases on the table in 2011, I think would secure our national interest and tell the bad guys and the good guys we're not leaving, we're staying, in a responsible way if the Afghan people want us to stay.
Afghanistan never was "in the hands of terrorists". The Taliban may have had guests that turned out to be "terrorists" but the Taliban movement itself never fought outside of its country.
But that is not the main point – it just shows that Graham does not understand what he is talking about.
The Taliban have claimed all along that the U.S. is occupying Afghanistan to have permanent bases there and to steal its riches. It was one of there main propaganda point, though, up to now, not provable.
Accordingly their response to Graham is somewhat triumphant (though badly translated):
His remarks definitely lifts the curtain from the colonialist motives of America which the Islamic Emirate has been trying in the past decade to draw to them, attention of the people of the world. In fact, the invading America wants to establish her dominance over the region and the world under the so-called war on terror. Thus, they are trying to deprive the masses from their inalienable rights.
Graham has just arranged for a new successful nationalistic recruitment drive by the Taliban and for further support to them from Pakistan. Permanent U.S. bases just across the boarder is not what any of Afghanistan's big neighbors, Iran and Pakistan, want. As the Pakistani Chief of Staff Kayani explained the relation with the U.S.:
The two countries' "frames of reference" regarding regional security "can never be the same," he said, according to news accounts. Calling Pakistan America's "most bullied ally," Kayani said that the "real aim of U.S. strategy is to de-nuclearize Pakistan."
The most interesting points in the response of the Islamic Emirate to Graham's statements are their explanation of U.S. motives, an offer to China to sell natural resources and a bow to and request for support from neighboring countries:
The tempo of economic and industrial progress is going to shift from America and Europe to Asia in the near future. This economic impetus needs raw material. Hence, the invading America wants to bring under her belly the natural resources of Afghanistan, ostensibly, under the name of war on terrorism, thus intending to coerce regional countries to agree to the colonialist objectives and strings of America. Similarly, they want to deprive the Afghan people of access to their natural resources and compel them live in poverty and misery. Therefore, the Mujahid people of Afghanistan will never allow the invading America to plunder their natural resources and take their freedom.
We are ready to enter into transparent bilateral agreements with other countries on the basis of national interests and economic profitability for the extraction of the said natural resources.
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is a responsible force. We assure all regional countries that we will maintain good relations with them in light of the lofty rules of ethics of Islam, following our obtaining independence. Meanwhile, we urge them not to be beguiled by America to give consent to establishment of American permanent bases in Afghanistan under the unjustified name of war on terror.
Whatever one may think about the Taliban and their Islamic Emirate, dumb they are not. That distinguishes them from Graham.