Afghanistan Political Leaders, Tribal Elders Debate Security Deal With US; Karzai Says "Trust With America Not Good," Wants Agreement to Go Into Effect After Next Election
Deal or no deal?
John Kerry said the US and Afghanistan had reached an agreement for a security partnership after the 2014 withdrawal of combat troops, pending approval at a grand council of local leaders. At that meeting, the term-limited Hamid Karzai suggested the deal with the US not go into effect until after next year's presidential election.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai told his countrymen on Thursday a vital security pact with the United States should not come into effect until after next year's election and conceded there was little trust between the two countries.
About 2,500 tribal elders and political leaders from all around Afghanistan gathered in the capital, Kabul, for a Loya Jirga, or grand council, to debate whether to allow U.S. troops to stay after the 2014 drawdown of foreign forces.
Karzai told the council he didn't trust the Americans, and that they didn't trust him. A delegation from Afghanistan, meanwhile, ha s reportedly met in Pakistan with the former deputy leader of the Taliban, according to anonymous officials from those two countries.
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