Friday, November 22, 2013

Afghanistan Rejects U.S. Demands That Their Security Agreement Be Signed By The End Of This Year



Afghanistan Rejects U.S. Call For Quick Security Deal -- Reuters

(Reuters) - The future of U.S. troops in Afghanistan remained in doubt on Friday after a spokesman for President Hamid Karzai rejected a U.S. call to sign a security pact by the end of the year rather than after next year's presidential election.

The United States has repeatedly said it will not wait until after the April 2014 vote to seal the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) and rejected Karzai's suggestion for the signing to take place next year "properly and with dignity".

Without an accord, the United States could pull out most of its troops by the end of 2014, as it did two years ago when it failed to negotiate a deal with Iraq.

Read more ....

Update #1: Afghanistan rebuffs US demand on signing security deal -- AFP
Update #2: How would delaying an Afghan deal complicate U.S. commitments in the region? -- PBS

My Comment: The Afghans have just given the U.S. the excuse to leave .... but I doubt that the White House will take it.

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