No pact with US until night raids end: Karzai

[randolph85]

http://www.afghanistannews.net/story/203640579/ht/No-pact-with-US-until-night-raids-end-Karzai

Night raids conducted by US troops in Afghanistan remain a major stumbling block to a US-Afghan pact on long-term strategic cooperation, the Afghan media reported Monday.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai received a delegation of US lawmakers led by Senator John McCain in Kabul Sunday.

Karzai reiterated that he wanted an end to the night raids and the transfer of US-run prisons to the Afghan authorities before signing any pact.

The Afghan authorities have no say in the night raids, in which the US military is liable to break into any home it suspects of harbouring people linked to the Taliban.

Karzai has repeatedly said that he will not sign the agreement without an end to the night raids.

US officials have tried for more than a year to conclude a partnership agreement that would include a role for US soldiers beyond 2014 after NATO forces are due to leave Afghanistan.

"We emphasise to President Karzai that we believe this issue can be resolved but we are strongly opposed to any termination of night raids because of the added risk it would put to the men and women of our military," McCain said.

All international combat troops are expected to leave Afghanistan by the end of 2014, with security to be passed to the Afghan police and army.

However, the proposed security agreement envisions keeping US troops in the country past that date.

[hamid954]

Wow I think this is the first good decision Karzai ever did for Afghanistan.

[Breshna]

Karzai is finally waking up...good news.

[NokiaWnW]

Karzai is a double-faced agents. Under Taliban and locals he preach to attack NATO and US, under NATO and US he preaches they are doing good job and keep on it and under Pakistanis he serves them. However, Karzai is in no position to dictate those who made him a ''king''. He already asked US to handover the Demazang and Bagram prison to Afghans and US have to stop night raids. These words were spoken one year ago and everyside ignored him. If not Karzai than anotherone, a real powerful men, a power-broker and warlord they can negotiate with.

[abassinafghan]

a real powerful men, a power-broker and warlord they can negotiate with.

with out american dollars and german euros , uzbak taratesak dostum or ata or the rest of those shakals would still sit some where in duschambe or taschkent or anakara , drinking chai and greeting each other

kilding bilding kosh geldin

[khushal]

If he is the real president of the country then no foreigner can do anything without his approval. If you cant unite the pashtuns around you, then you will lose. He should not have chosen the warlords of the NA over the pashtun masses in the first place.