Last week, it looked like the agreement to keep American troops in Afghanistan for many more years (perhaps even past 2024) was nearly a done deal. President Karzai said he just wanted the approval of the Loya Jirga (a meeting of more than 2500 Afghan elders) before he signed. That group gave its approval, and said Karzai should sign the agreement within a month.But now Karzai is balking at signing the agreement. President Obama has said the agreement must be signed by the end of this year, or American troops will start preparing to leave at the end of 2014 -- all American troops. However, Karzai now says he will sign, but not until the end of the Afghan elections next April. That makes it sound like he's afraid he could't be re-elected if he signs the agreement now.
In addition, Karzai has come up with a couple of new demands. He wants all of the Afghans being held at Guantanamo to be released, he wants Afghans to be able to observe trials in American military courts, and he wants no more American troops to enter Afghan homes (w/o prior approval from the Afghan government). The Obama administration had thought they had settled that last issue last week when they assured Karzai they would show "restraint" in home entries, and only enter when absolutely necessary. But evidently it's still a sticking point with the Afghan government.
Frankly, it's starting to look like President Karzai either doesn't want the American troops to stay, or he wants it only on his own terms. I doubt the American government will let Karzai publicly dictate the terms of the occupation -- and that's a good thing, because it could force a withdrawal of ALL U.S. troops by the end of next year.
And that's exactly what should happen (unless it could happen even sooner). We have accomplished nothing except to cost a lot of lives on both sides -- and to replace one bad corrupt government with another bad corrupt government. Staying longer will not change that, no matter how much the president and the Pentagon wish it would.
Add to that the fact that a majority of Americans do not want troops left in Afghanistan after the end of 2014. A new Rasmussen Poll (taken on November 21st and 22nd of 1,000 nationwide adults, with a margin of error of 3 points) shows that 51% of Americans say all troops should be withdrawn by the end of 2014. Only about 38% say some troops should be left there (to train the Afghans and fight terrorists).
