Karzai Refuses to Sign U.S. Security Deal

[BarakzaiAbdali]

Karzai is saying he is not going to sign the tissue paper. Is it still all an act? If this continues to be his persistent line, then it looks like he is walking away from this.
"Afghanistan's president says he has told the U.S. national security adviser that he won't back down from his refusal to sign a security agreement with the United States but will instead defer it to his successor."

Its nonsense... otherwise why would he tell the jirga it was best that they approved it? This is choreography.

Otherwise he is schizoid because sequentally in 1 week he did the following:

1) Convened hand picked jirga to ensure approval
2) Verbally told Jirga to approve it
3) Decided the next day he would not approve it yet (to squeeze concessions???)

Its nonsense

[Shah-i-Kot]

Its nonsense... otherwise why would he tell the jirga it was best that they approved it? This is choreography.

Otherwise he is schizoid because sequentally in 1 week he did the following:

1) Convened hand picked jirga to ensure approval
2) Verbally told Jirga to approve it
3) Decided the next day he would not approve it yet (to squeeze concessions???)

Its nonsense

I know what your saying, and feel the same.

The US officials have pretty much taken a big s****t on his face, denying all his points, and issuing the ultimatum that they will fully withdraw.

They make jokes of him, deride him- this is the leader of the parasitic secular militants. Warn him, and later laugh about it, and let it be known in public via New York Times. How low will this guy go?

[Shah-i-Kot]

Susan Rice tells Hamid Karzai to 'take or leave' U.S.-Afghanistan security agreement

Kabul : Afghanistan | Nov 25, 2013 at 6:28 PM PST
By MrGrassroots








The United States involvement in the country of Afghanistan may be coming to an end sooner rather than later. The longest war in American history could terminate by the end of 2014, according to a readout released by the White House today.
National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice is in Afghanistan for a "long planned" three-day trip, according to White House Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest.
The purpose of the trip to Afghanistan is "an opportunity for Dr. Rice to visit with American troops who are making tremendous sacrifices on behalf of the American people. Those sacrifices feel all the more acute during the week of Thanksgiving, so it’s an opportunity for Dr. Rice to thank them for their service."
While Rice was in Afghanistan, she met and had dinner with Karzai. It was during that dinner that Karzai told Rice that the U.S.-Afghanistan Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) was in jeopardy, unless some "more" demands are met to the already finalized agreeent.
The Washington Post reports that among Karzai's demands are that the United States help the Afghan government begin peace talks with the Taliban. In addition, Karzai also demanded the release all 17 Afghan citizens being held in the Guantanamo Bay detention center in Cuba.
Karzai also has an issue with U.S. Troops entering the homes of Afghans and if "another [U.S.] soldier steps foot into an Afghan home," he would not sign any agreement.
The United States had said that it would show "restraint" in so-called "home entries" by U.S. troops and to carry them out only in conjunction with Afghan troops. However, this tactic remains a principal part of U.S. operations against insurgents here.
Ambassador Rice made clear during her dinner with Karzai that would not happen, that the United States was prepared to sign the agreement in the coming days.
In response, President Karzai indicated he is not prepared to sign the BSA promptly. The long-term security arrangement sought by the Afghans, appear to be "on the brink of collapse."
Deputy Press Secretary Josh Earnest aboard Air Force One in a press gaggle agreed. "Our view on this has been pretty clear -- that in order to plan for a post-2014 military presence with our allies, we need to get this agreement signed, and we need to get this agreement signed before the end of the year."
The Loya Jirga, an assembly of Afghan elders, overwhelming endorsed the U.S.-Afghanistan Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA). But Karzai is overruling the Loya Jirga and wants more from the U.S.
Rice stressed to Karzai that negotiations have concluded on the BSA, and that deferring the signature of the agreement until after next year's elections is not viable, as it would not provide the United States and NATO allies the clarity necessary to plan for a potential post-2014 military presence.
The White House warned in its readout of the meeting, that the agreement would "Provide Afghans with the certainty they deserve regarding their future, in the critical months preceding elections. Moreover, the lack of a signed BSA would jeopardize NATO and other nations' pledges of assistance made at the Chicago and Tokyo conferences in 2012."
Ambassador Rice reiterated that, without a prompt signature, the U.S. would have no choice but to initiate planning for a post-2014 future in which there would be no U.S. or NATO troop presence in Afghanistan.
The United States said that it "will continue to work with Afghanistan to support a smooth security transition and to help ensure free and fair elections."
Unless Karzai accepts the agreement already negotiated by yearend, the U.S. involvement in Afghanistan will come to an abrupt end in 2014.
That would suit the American people just fine.

Susan Rice tells Hamid Karzai to 'take or leave' U.S.-Afghanistan security agreement

[Shah-i-Kot]

Afghan president condemns U.S. airstrike that killed a child, two women

KABUL Fri Nov 29, 2013 1:08am IST

(Reuters) - Afghanistan's president Hamid Karzai said U.S. forces had bombed a home in Helmand killing a small child and wounding two women on Thursday and condemned the attack as another sign of disregard for civilian life, his spokesman said.
The strike could not have come at a worse time, as Karzai is engaged in a stand-off with the American government over a bilateral security agreement that will help shape the presence of U.S. troops in Afghanistan after 2014.
"It shows that U.S. forces have no respect for the decisions of the Loya Jirga (council of elders) and life of civilians in Afghanistan," said Karzai's spokesman, Aimal Faizi. (Reporting by Jessica Donati; editing by Ralph Boulton)


Afghan president condemns U.S. airstrike that killed a child, two women | Reuters

[Shah-i-Kot]

Mojaddedi leaves Afghanistan over Karzai’s refusal to sign security deal - Khaama Press (KP) | Afghan News Agency

Mojaddedi leaves Afghanistan over Karzai’s refusal to sign security deal

By Ghanizada - Thu Nov 28, 2:15 pm

The head of the consultative Loya Jirga and former Afghan president Sibghatullah Mojaddedi has left Afghanistan for Turkey to protest against president Hamid Karzai’s refusal to sign the bilaterl security agreement between Afghanistan and United States. Mojaddedi, at the conculuding session of consultative Loya Jirga warned that he will leave Afghanistan if president Hamid Karzai refused to signed the secuirty deal between Kabul and Washington.
A family member of Sibghatullah Mojaddedi said he would not return to Afghanistan unless president Hamid Karzai endorse his demand to sign the Afghan-US security deal.
In the meantime, Disputes Resolution Commission deputy chief Asadullah Wafa said Sibghatullah Mojaddedi will head to Denmark after visiting Turkey for treatment purposes.
Mr. Wafa said that Sibghatullah Mojaddedi will visit his family in Denmark.
Tensions between president Hamid Karzai and US officials further heightened during a meeting with the US national security advisor Susan Rice earlier this week.
Karzai has refused to sign the pact promptly and demanded an immediate end to military raids on Afghan homes and demonstrate its commitment to peace talks before the bilateral security agreement is signed.
Washington has warned that there would be no US or NATO troops presence in Afghanistan, without a prompt signing of the security deal.

[Loy Afghanistan]

Mojaddedi leaves Afghanistan over Karzai’s refusal to sign security deal - Khaama Press (KP) | Afghan News Agency

Mojaddedi leaves Afghanistan over Karzai’s refusal to sign security deal

By Ghanizada - Thu Nov 28, 2:15 pm

The head of the consultative Loya Jirga and former Afghan president Sibghatullah Mojaddedi has left Afghanistan for Turkey to protest against president Hamid Karzai’s refusal to sign the bilaterl security agreement between Afghanistan and United States. Mojaddedi, at the conculuding session of consultative Loya Jirga warned that he will leave Afghanistan if president Hamid Karzai refused to signed the secuirty deal between Kabul and Washington.
A family member of Sibghatullah Mojaddedi said he would not return to Afghanistan unless president Hamid Karzai endorse his demand to sign the Afghan-US security deal.
In the meantime, Disputes Resolution Commission deputy chief Asadullah Wafa said Sibghatullah Mojaddedi will head to Denmark after visiting Turkey for treatment purposes.
Mr. Wafa said that Sibghatullah Mojaddedi will visit his family in Denmark.
Tensions between president Hamid Karzai and US officials further heightened during a meeting with the US national security advisor Susan Rice earlier this week.
Karzai has refused to sign the pact promptly and demanded an immediate end to military raids on Afghan homes and demonstrate its commitment to peace talks before the bilateral security agreement is signed.
Washington has warned that there would be no US or NATO troops presence in Afghanistan, without a prompt signing of the security deal.

Well, well well, what do we expect of the traitor turk-mongol-arab half breed people?

[Shah-i-Kot]

U.S. seeks to bypass Karzai on Afghanistan security deal - The Denver Post

The US is trying to bypass Karzai to get the tissue paper signed.

Is Karzai following the footsteps of Robert Bruce of Scotland?

I think Karzai has had a strong alternative to all this- and I think it is China which maintains contacts with the Taliban, and has the capacity to bring about a peace deal and independent Afghanistan. His last visit to China went longer than planned. Who knows? Has Karzai finally grown some smarts and balls?

[abassinafghan]

The americans will not leave , dont fall for illusions .

karazi will die , his plane will have a misfunction or an accident will happen , and it seems he realized he will not last long , so he tries to preserve the last bit of dignity , in blaming the final frosh to his successor , so people can say "he did everything but not this " ...

[Shah-i-Kot]

Sharif to visit Afghanistan tomorrow





Sharif: pushing peace process
10:43 PM
28
November
2013

AFP/Islamabad

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif will visit Kabul tomorrow to meet President Hamid Karzai as part of efforts to revive Afghanistan’s faltering peace process.
The one-day visit, confirmed by Pakistan’s foreign ministry, comes a week after Sharif met a delegation from the Afghan High Peace Council, which is tasked with opening negotiations with Taliban insurgents as Nato forces withdraw from the country by the end of 2014.
Karzai is stalling on signing a security pact with Washington that would allow a contingent of US troops to stay on for training and counter-terror missions.
Support from Pakistan, which backed Afghanistan’s 1996-2001 Taliban regime, is seen as crucial to peace after Nato troops depart, but relations between the two nations have been uneasy.
Pakistan said it had released former Taliban number two Mullah Baradar — seen by Kabul as important to bringing the militants to the negotiating table — to help the peace process.
But militant sources have complained he is effectively still behind bars.
There has been no confirmation that the High Peace Council was able to meet him during its visit last week.
It will be Sharif’s first visit to Afghanistan since he took office in May for a third term as prime minister.
“He will meet with President Karzai and will discuss issues of mutual interest. Both the leaders will discuss the peace and reconciliation process in Afghanistan,” said Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry, a foreign ministry spokesman.
The Taliban have refused to have direct contact with Karzai or with the High Peace Council, dismissing them as puppets of the United States.
A Taliban office in Qatar that opened in June was meant to lead to talks, but instead it enraged Karzai after it was styled as an embassy for a government-in-exile.
Karzai and Sharif met British Prime Minister David Cameron in London last month in the fourth of a series of trilateral meetings designed to foster stability in the volatile South Asia region.
The meeting was considerably more low-key than one hosted by Cameron at his official country retreat in February, which ended with grand promises of a peace deal within six months.


Sharif to visit Afghanistan tomorrow

[Shah-i-Kot]

Feinstein blasts Karzai over refusal to sign deal | Boston Herald

Feinstein blasts Karzai over refusal to sign deal

Sunday, December 1, 2013 Associated Press




WASHINGTON — Sen. Dianne Feinstein has strong words about Afghanistan's president for refusing to sign an agreement governing the future of the American troop presence in his country.
Feinstein heads the Senate Intelligence Committee and says she thinks Hamid Karzai (HAH'-mihd KAHR'-zeye) "is such a cipher."
The California Democrat tells CNN's "State of the Union" that Karzai is "so much the victim of what thought occurs to him right at the moment based on some anger that he feels about something that may not even be related."
Karzai says he'll leave the matter to the next president after April elections.
The U.S. has said it will plan to withdraw all troops after 2014 if he doesn't sign promptly, and a signed deal is needed to enable U.S. troops to train Afghan forces.

[Shah-i-Kot]

Ex-Obama aide: Karzai is being 'reckless'
Ex-Obama aide: Karzai is being 'reckless'


President Obama's former national security adviser says Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai needs to understand that the "zero option" -- no U.S. or allied troops left in his country after 2014 -- is very real.
Tom Donilon, who left his national security post earlier this year, told ABC's This Week that Karzai is being "reckless" in refusing to sign a new security agreement.
The proposal would allow the U.S. and allies to maintain a residual force in Afghanistan after combat operations end in 2014, for purposes of training and counter-terrorism.
Karzai has said he doesn't want to sign the agreement until after the Afghan elections in April. President Obama and aides have said they don't want to wait that long, and have begun discussing the so-called zero option.
"His refusal to sign at this point, I think, is reckless," Donilon said. "I think it's reckless in terms of Afghanistan, and I think it also adversely impacts our ability to plan coherently and comprehensively for post-2014."
Donilon said that it will become impossible to plan for post-2014 Afghanistan unless specific rules are in place soon.
Said Donilon: "If the United States doesn't have a bilateral security arrangement with Afghanistan that supports its troop presence there -- and provides the kinds of protections that we need -- the United States cannot be present in Afghanistan after December 31st, 2014."

[Shah-i-Kot]

http://world.time.com/2014/01/19/karzai-demands-end-to-u-s-military-operations-airstrikes/

Karzai Demands End to U.S. Military Operations, Air Strikes

As precondition to 2014 security pact
By Sam Frizell @Sam_FrizellJan. 19, 2014

President Hamid Karzai said Sunday that the U.S. must halt military operations and air strikes in Afghanistan as a precondition to a security deal keeping U.S. troops in the war-torn nation after 2014.
The demand comes shortly after an investigation into a joint Afghan-U.S. military operation north of Kabul that resulted in 12 civilian casualties, the Associated Press reports. Karzai attributed the deaths to U.S. air strikes, though the U.S. pointed the finger back at Afghanistan.
Karzai has yet to sign the deal on U.S. troops that he had agreed to tentatively last October. He also reiterated Sunday that the U.S. needs to initiate talks with the Taliban, which refuses to engage with Karzai or his government.

[khushal]

He does not care about the air strikes on his people. He cares about influencing the election and wants to be included in the peace talks with the Taliban.

[Al-Afghani]

Afghanistan is in a bad position. If we don't sign, the Pakiban will take over. If we do sign, it means the insurgency will go on. There are no alternatives.

SPEAKING FREELY
Karzai keeps US on tenterhooks
By Bipin Shah

It is becoming increasingly urgent for the US to seal a deal with Afghan President Hamid Karzai over US troops remaining on Afghan soil, particularly since US President Barack Obama must also be seen to be fulfilling his promise to the American people that the withdrawal will happen before his second term expires.

Karzai has the power to sign the deal, but he has used one excuse after another to delay doing so. Karzai's fears do not derive from the implications of residual international forces staying, in fact he needs this. Rather, the issues behind this delay are geopolitical and concern possible fall outs with neighboring countries.

The last thing Karzai needs is another proxy war between a Pakistan-sponsored Taliban and a Tajik-dominated Northern Alliance supported by Russia, India and Iran.

Americans are driven by self-interest, yet they have a knack of getting involved in conflicts without planning a clear exist strategy. Defense and other commercial interests take over once the fighting starts, and the logic and purpose of the initiation is often lost with devastating consequences to themselves and the world.

The hardliners and media spinners of the United States Congress then take the reins to whip up failures and quickly assign responsibility as a potential issue in the election cycle. This gives hardly enough time for generals to do the required job. You can think about the number of examples, such as Vietnam, Somalia, Iraq, Libya and now Syria, where that is the case.

Epicenter of terrorism

The US, being unable to root out the epicenter of terrorism in Pakistan and Middle East due to heavy economic reliance on Saudi oil and transit facilities from Pakistan, finds itself in a "no win" situation.
Since most of al-Qaeda has moved on to the Middle East, declaring a victory and getting out is the only option left for the Obama administration in Afghanistan. Robert Gates, a former and loyal defense secretary in the Bush and Obama administrations, has clearly pointed out the disadvantages of advertising the "pull out decision" in advance.

The enemies did not have to do anything but simply wait it out. Neighboring countries are watching these events in horror and preparing for another round of war in Afghanistan. This is a prime example of going into the region to stabilize the country and yet leaving it more destabilized.

Karzai and Central Asian neighbors

Hamid Karzai lived with this nightmare and saw how impotent Americans were in dealing with Pakistan and the Taliban, so why put all your eggs in one basket? He sees the endgame like some of his neighbors do, with Kabul "left holding the empty bag".

President Atambayev of Kyrgyzstan announced last month that a US $1 billion Kyrgyz-Russian arms deal is ready to be signed and implemented. The cargo contains artillery pieces, tanks, shoulder-fired antiaircraft missiles and other military equipment.

Atambayev was quoted on December 16 as saying that this was a possible reason for a "foreign army attack" on Kyrgyzstan. Most astute observers believes that this is linked to the final status of Afghanistan and the US's desire to sell the left-over equipment to Central Asian countries at bargain basement price to maintain some leverage there.

From a practical stand point, Pakistan is anxious to allow the Taliban to do their dirty work and destroy as much as they can of the equipment.

US-India ties

After gaining the Loya-Jirga's approval, Secretary of State John Kerry wanted to sign the deal with Karzai; however, Karzai had different ideas. He seems to trust Indian judgment better, so he dashed to New Delhi.

India has watched nervously Obama's hasty declaration that it would get out of Afghanistan by 2014. This is quite the contrary to repeated US pledges made to India on the subcontinent's stability.

Under pressure from the US-Israel Lobby, India had bent to American wishes by curtaining oil imports from Iran. For India, it is a closer and secured supply. India has civil relationship with Iran and shares the same security concerns against Wahhabi Islam. Sunni Wahhabis are as much as a threat to India as to Iran.

Karzai's clever mind

In spite of Karzai's zigzagging and erratic statements, he has a clever mind and is trying to shop around for the deal possible for Afghans. Karzai's expectations are not only personal but also for his country.

The uppermost thing occupying his Pashtun mind is how to redeem his Pashto nationality? Afghanistan has been used as a geopolitical theater for over 30 years by big powers.

Pakistan has used Afghanistan as its colony by training and parking the world's deadliest terrorists there. Karzai has so far refused to play an American serenade. He has consulted Indians, Pakistanis, Chinese and Iranians to take a measured geopolitical reading. He has become a kind of a shopper looking for the best deal possible.

Afghanistan was a poor country when it separated from the British. The victim of his own geography, it remains a land-locked country with enormous natural resources without access to trade routes and sea ports.

Afghanistan provides a critical passageway to oil rich Central Asia that everyone covets. Iran and India are two that comes to the mind.

Afghanistan for its own reasons does not want a permanent US presence as a part of its "Asian pivot". India prefers US's presence to prevent terrorism emanating from Afghanistan's soil with Pakistani support as well as check mate China making inroads into subcontinent. There is ambivalence there on all sides. US-China trade is robust in spite of their differences. India's trade with china will equal the US's very soon at nearly $100 billion.

Pakistan has successfully deflected US by ignoring all its demarches and the fact that the US is still heavily dependent on Pakistan's transits facility for a safe passage makes things harder.

For the time being, it is compelled to oblige Pakistan. Tomorrow is a different day. Pakistan has no interest in stabilizing Afghanistan as it regards the country as a bulwark against India. Despite various promises to the US to bring the client Taliban to the table to forge a peace deal between Karzai and the Taliban, the US had not seen any concrete results from Pakistan. Previous attempts were repeatedly sabotaged by the assassination of peace envoys, attacks on US forces, the blowing up the Indian embassy and temporarily halting the supply line to US forces.

Barack Obama, by pre-announcing the withdrawal date for domestic reason, removed the incentive for enemies to negotiate. This also demonstrates to countries like India, Afghanistan and others that the US is not dependable ally and its guarantees have expiration dates attached. Pakistan continuously reminds his erstwhile ally the US that support in getting concessions from Indians on Kashmir is needed as a "quid pro quo" before Taliban and ISI-run terrorist training camps and charities are shut down.

This phobia of parity with India drives the Pakistani mentality. After losing three wars, there is nothing left in the tool box except subversion and infiltration. The nuclear war sometimes mentioned by hard-nuts is unthinkable and the world will not allow that. If Pakistan wants to compete with India it should do so in the economic sphere. However, such normalization is a long way off.

Pakistan-India-Afghanistan

In addition to that, there is a huge trust deficit between all parties in the region. Most ordinary Afghans believe that the US and Pakistan are jointly responsible for ruining their country during and after the Cold War. India wants a step-by-step approach with Pakistan as Pakistan has repeatedly signed agreements after losing wars and then reneged on them. Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf tactically agreed to that approach with India but never implemented the final solution to Kashmir.

The most-favored nation status granted to India still remains unimplemented by Pakistan. After three wars and abandonment of the Simla agreement, India has no desire to believe in Pakistani sincerity without some valid proof.

Pakistan has violated ceasefires and mounted terrorist attacks on Indian soil at home and abroad repeatedly. None of these people were brought to the justice after pledging their cooperation.

US-India ties have not made much more concrete progress either, after few military deals and lifting of nuclear embargo that India always felt was the US's obligation and responsibility.

Indians have a reason to get upset with inconsistencies in American foreign policies. When Americans arrested a New York-based junior Indian diplomat on questionable grounds, they conveniently forgot to inform the Indian Foreign Secretary Sujatha Singh, who happened to be in Washington at Foggy Bottom headquarter for scheduled consultations.

Sujatha Singh during her visit was pressed to exert India's influence on Karzai, to "fall in line". Sujatha rightfully declined on the grounds that Afghanistan is a sovereign nation. The intended visit was to brief Sujatha Singh on recent incident of the ceasefire violation by Pakistan and to make an urgent request to accelerate the normalization process. India reminded Americans again that while they are following a step-by-step agreement between the two countries, trade liberalization has not taken place and ceasefire violations have increased.

In addition to that imbroglio, Pakistan has made no progress to bring criminals to Justice for the 26/11 attack in Mumbai in 2008. The India side also complained about stalling techniques and denial of access to the American triple agent David Headley. After all, "Trust but verify" is an old adage of Ronald Reagan, the former American president.

With 2014 election approaching in India, nothing concrete can result and this is the same reason that was probably given to India by Pakistan when it was granted the most-favored nation status by Asif Ali Zardari. None of these nations had anything to do with what may follow from Obama's self-declared "pull out date".

Karzai is in no rush to sign any deal. Karzai, after getting the expected approval from a Loya Jirga, embarked on a world tour to feel out regional allies. He visited Islamabad, Delhi and Tehran and held talks. This sounds all-too familiar to the tactic adopted by Nouri al-Maliki of Iraq that led President Obama to order the complete pull out, with minimum or no advisory role. It appears that Tehran gave Karzai the same advice and suggested either not signing the deal or including a clause that would allow Karzai to remove the Americans on demand.

India balances on a tightrope
India's position will continue to remain ambiguous until clear picture emerges as to what role Pakistan will play in the Afghanistan endgame. Pakistan has no interest in normalizing relations with India unless in return it gets its own slice of Afghan pie.

India, on one hand has a thriving economic and military understanding, if not an entirely active relationship, with the US. Israel, on the other hand has emerged as the second-largest defense supplier for India, including technology transfers. India depends on Iran for its energy needs, ports and infrastructure to access Afghanistan and Central Asia. Moreover, Indians and Persians have a civilization relationship that is more enduring than their relationships with any other powers and their interests over Afghanistan coincide.

Israel too has strong relationships with both India and Iran, but prefers now that no one in their wider region acquires nuclear weapons other than themselves. After all, it was Achemenians emperor who freed Jews from the captivity of Babylon.

Israel can use India's good offices with Tehran to normalize its relationship with Iran. Iran has some influence on Hezbollah, Syria and Hamas and this is probably also on the mind of Obama. The permanent war situation serves no one's interest. Israel's right should be guaranteed with a separate home land for Palestine. This is the only way out for all sides after colonial power left their legacy of divide and rule.

Why so much drama and anxieties on so many fronts the US is facing? The departure of a junior Indian diplomat from US soil is the least of the complex issues. What causes the most anxiety in the minds of American policy-makers is questioning what the other side is up to when regarding the Indian-Sino relationship or India's refusal to participate in what appears to be a military "Asian Pivot" that the Chinese regard as provocative.

As a facet of the pivot on Asia, the US would like to have a permanent military base in Afghanistan to keep an eye on all the major players like Russia, China, Iran and potential adversaries including Taliban and its allied terrorists. Chinese military activism against has increased on disputed islands and territorial waters of South China Sea. The unsettled boundary dispute with India and neighbors is also very much alive. A deal between Afghanistan and the US lines up with the many other issues caught within the geopolitical sphere of the US pivot to Asia that need to be resolved - and quickly.

Speaking Freely is an Asia Times Online feature that allows guest writers to have their say. Please click here if you are interested in contributing. Articles submitted for this section allow our readers to express their opinions and do not necessarily meet the same editorial standards of Asia Times Online's regular contributors.

Bipin Shah is a US-based freelance historian and writer. His primary areas of interest are ancient history of India, geopolitics and national security.

(Copyright 2014 Bipin Shah)

[randolph85]

the hundreds of thousands of foreign soldiers and contractors haven't been able to bring peace to the country, what good will 10,000 left over soldiers do?

karzai doesn't have an ounce of ghairat in him, he has never backed up any of this threats or stood by any of his demands. he is like a baby that cries until baba america puts a pacifier in his mouth and once he is calm he forgot why he was crying in the first place.

his entire career has been an example of "when keeping it real goes wrong"