Karzai Claims He Schooled US on Recent Security Deal

Political posturing for internal audiences is fine, but when you sound like a tool to your primary benefactor, the citizens of that country aren't interested in helping you out too much.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai struck a nationalistic tone Thursday in explaining his signing of a strategic pact with the United States, saying that Washington had bowed to many of his demands.

Mr. Karzai said the Strategic Partnership Agreement signed Tuesday evening in Kabul met several of Afghanistan's tough conditions, and highlighted that it forbids the U.S. from attacking other countries from the bases it may retain here after the bulk of foreign troops withdraw in 2014.

So what did the US agree to?

Mr. Karzai presented himself as a tough negotiator who had laid out essential "preconditions" for the signing of the strategic agreement. He said the U.S. yielded ground in negotiations on hot-button issues such as the detention Afghan citizens and night raids by U.S. special operations forces.

"Our fundamental conditions were that the U.S. forces must not have the permission to run prisons...they must not be allowed to arrest Afghans, they must not be allowed to enter Afghan homes," he said. "These were our preconditions in order to enter into this strategic agreement."

I guess that's fine until the first time an Afghan brigade gets their ass handed to them in an independent operation.

By: Brant