Is Afghan President Karzai Back-Tracking On His Security Deal With The U.S.?

Afghan President Hamid Karzai attends the last day of the Loya Jirga, in Kabul November 24, 2013. Credit: Reuters/Omar Sobhani

U.S. Says Afghanistan's Karzai Seeks New Security Deal Conditions -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai, in a meeting with U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice, proposed new terms for a deal governing troop withdrawal from Afghanistan and said he is in no hurry to sign the accord, the White House said on Monday.

"President Karzai outlined new conditions for signing the agreement and indicated he is not prepared to sign the BSA promptly," the White House said in a readout of the meeting between the two officials.

Karzai has persistently raised questions about the pact, which would enable U.S. troops to operate in the country beyond next year. An assembly of Afghan elders on Sunday endorsed the deal and advised Karzai to sign it promptly.

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More News On Afghan President Karzai Issuing More Demands Before Signing A Security Agreement With The U.S.

New conditions appear to push U.S., Afghanistan farther from striking security deal -- Reuters
Karzai tells Susan Rice of more demands for accord extending U.S. troop presence -- Washington Post
Karzai Adds to Demands on U.S. in Meeting With Susan Rice -- Bloomberg
US Says Afghanistan's Karzai Seeks New Security Deal Conditions -- Voice of America
Afghan president defies U.S. on security pact, adds new demands -- L.A. Times
Key piece missing from U.S.-Afghan security deal: Karzai's signature -- Catherine E. Shoichet, CNN
U.S. Official Gives Karzai an Ultimatum on Signing Security Pact -- New York Times

My Comment: So .... after agreeing to a security deal with the U.S. and then submitting it to a loya jirga meeting that then approved it .... Afghan President Karzai has decided to renege on what he had agreed to do as well as ignoring the Afghan assembly's positive vote for the agreement. I suspect that right now .... in both Washington and in Kabul .... there are a number of people who are getting fed-up. On a more positive note .... even the Afghans are getting frustrated with the erratic behavior of their President.