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Dempsey in Afghanistan for transition talks

By WTOP Staff

LOLITA C. BALDOR
Associated Press

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Pentagon has developed plans that would allow American forces to remain in Afghanistan beyond the end of the year if the contested presidential election drags on and a security agreement isn’t signed soon, the top U.S. military officer said Monday.

Shortly before landing in Kabul for a visit, Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chief of Staff, told reporters accompanying him on the trip that under optimal circumstances the U.S. would need about 120 days to pull all troops and equipment out of the country if there is no agreement allowing them to stay into 2015.

But Dempsey also said the U.S. can act quickly to pull out if necessary. And he added, “We’ve got our own planning mechanism in place should this thing extend a little further than we hoped it would.”

Dempsey arrived in Afghanistan to attend the change of U.S. command. Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford will turn over control of the war effort to Army Gen. John Campbell.

The transition comes at a critical time as the election of a new president is stalled while an audit is conducted to determine the outcome. The lack of a president-elect creates a dilemma for the United States, which has said that all troops would leave by the end of the year unless the security agreement is signed.

But officials have suggested there is some leeway. If weeks from now there is still no agreement, the military could stay a bit into next year in order to conduct an orderly departure.

“We’ve said we need a (security agreement), not because necessarily we lack the authority to stay beyond the end of the year, but rather as an expression of good faith and good will” by the Afghan government, said Dempsey.

The April 6 voting to elect a successor to President Hamid Karzai resulted in a runoff between former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah and former Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai.

Abdullah received the most votes in the first round but failed to get the 50 percent needed to win. Preliminary results indicated that Ahmadzai was ahead in the runoff. Both men have claimed fraud and an audit is being conducted to determine who won.

Both men have said they will sign the security agreement that gives U.S. forces the necessary legal protections to stay in the country. Karzai refused to sign the agreement.

Dempsey acknowledged he is worried about the government transition.

“At some point a winner will be declared, but the loser will have done pretty well with a certain part of the Afghan people,” said Dempsey. “I think it’s important that they find a way to accommodate (the loser) — that it’s not a victor and vanquished, that there’s a power sharing agreement.”

U.S. officials have been pressing the Afghans to form a national unity government by early September. Secretary of State John Kerry made personal appeals earlier this month to both candidates to find a resolution before the upcoming NATO summit in Wales on Sept. 4.

Dempsey said it’s still unclear if either of the candidates would be able to attend the summit, where NATO leaders are expected to make decisions about their nations’ future roles in Afghanistan.

Afghan forces, meanwhile, are getting hit hard by the Taliban in the south and the east as the peak summer fighting season continues.

Dempsey said he expected the difficult fighting, but said in many cases the Afghans have been able to regroup and take back gains the Taliban had made.

President Barack Obama has ordered the U.S. to withdraw all but roughly 10,000 troops by the end of this year, and to cut that number in half by the end of 2015. The U.S. would leave only about 1,000 in a security office after the end of 2016.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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