Afghan-US Security Agreement Still Not Clear

10/15/2013

Afghan National Army (ANA) female officers watch a training exercise at the Kabul Military Training Centre (KMTC) in Kabul, October 8, 2013. REUTERS/Omar Sobhani (AFGHANISTAN - Tags: MILITARY) - RTX143OO

Hello, I’m Faith Lapidus in Washington.

Today on As It Is, we hear about new efforts to protect rice crops from flooding.

Afghan-US Security Agreement Still Not Clear

But first, we look at security concerns in Afghanistan. The country’s president has called a meeting to discuss a planned security agreement with the United States. We have more on that story, coming up.

President Hamid Karzai says there is no hurry to sign the agreement. His comment has raised questions about the future of American troops in Afghanistan after the planned withdrawal of NATO forces next year.

President Karzai has passed the difficult question of signing the security agreement with the United States to a council of elders, or loya Jirga. The president says the group plans to meet next month. He dismissed concerns that the meeting will delay a decision on the agreement.

John Wood is with the Near East South Asia Center for Strategic Studies. He says there are two main areas of conflict between the Afghan leader and American officials.

“As I understand it, Mr. Karzai wants a very specific external security agreement or assurance, frankly something that would probably rise to the level of a treaty agreement in the eyes of the United States.”