BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan — Kyrgyzstan's president has signed a law to close a key U.S. air base used as a staging post for military operations in Afghanistan.

President Kurmanbek Bakiyev signed the bill Friday to cancel the lease agreement for the Manas air base. The base is a transit point for 15,000 troops and 500 tons of cargo each month to and from Afghanistan.

Kyrgyz authorities can now issue an eviction notice, giving the United States 180 days to leave the base.

Kyrgyz lawmakers overwhelming voted Thursday in favor of a government-backed bill to shutter the base.

Closure of the Manas base could hamper President Barack Obama's calls for an increased military focus on Afghanistan.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday the U.S. considers talks still open over the base's future.

And along with our soldiers and their equipment we should take away any funding that we give them.

They want us out. That's fine. The US should sever all ties with them. If they have an Ambassador in DC, send him packing. Give him the same 180 days they give us.

Put the troops on the Mexican border to help the Border Patrol guys and gals.

Amazing, the president of Kyrgyzstan just secured a huge deal with the Russians for funding, etc. and then *BAM* the Americans get sent packing.

Putin's testing Obama's mettle here, plain and simple. I don't trust Putin one iota, he's circumventing the Russian Constitution to form a dictatorship ... and his overtures (or lack thereof) to the United States and NATO are alarming at best.