Washington: The US military has revised plans to withdraw troops from Afghanistan, allowing the White House time till President Hamid Karzai retires. The security pact includes withdrawal of troops at the end of 2014, as well as the American presence thereafter.
The move reflects a growing belief that relations between Washington and Karzai is almost irreparable, with the latter maintaining his disapproval of a security agreement to have 10,000 troops in Afghanistan after the planned pull-out.
A senior U.S official said, “If he’s not going to be part of the solution, we have to have a way to get past him. It’s a pragmatic recognition that clearly Karzai may not sign the BSA and that he doesn’t represent the voice of the Afghan peopleâ€. Military commanders say the force is needed to provide stability after this year’s election.