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| Hamid Karzai urges Afghans to let US forces stay another decade | Hamid Karzai urges Afghans to let US forces stay another decade |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, has reluctantly urged his countrymen to let US forces stay on in the country for another decade, saying that although there is no trust between him and Washington, a small American military presence is the country's best hope of stability. | The Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, has reluctantly urged his countrymen to let US forces stay on in the country for another decade, saying that although there is no trust between him and Washington, a small American military presence is the country's best hope of stability. |
| Addressing 2,500 delegates gathered for the Loya Jirga – the grand assembly – summoned to vote on a draft security pact between the two nations, Karzai urged the crowded hall to think of future generations when they decided whether to give the deal their seal of approval. | |
| "Where is the advantage in this agreement? Why should we sign it?" he asked the hand-picked group of men and women from around the country. "It gives us the opportunity to move from our current situation to a stable situation." | "Where is the advantage in this agreement? Why should we sign it?" he asked the hand-picked group of men and women from around the country. "It gives us the opportunity to move from our current situation to a stable situation." |
| But in an unexpected move likely to unnerve US officials who want their future role settled, he suggested the pact should only be signed by a new president due to be chosen in an election nearly six months away. Karzai cannot stand again, but the 11 candidates to replace him had prominent seats at the meeting. | But in an unexpected move likely to unnerve US officials who want their future role settled, he suggested the pact should only be signed by a new president due to be chosen in an election nearly six months away. Karzai cannot stand again, but the 11 candidates to replace him had prominent seats at the meeting. |
| The Bilateral Security Agreement paves the way for up to 15,000 foreign troops, more than half of them American, to stay on in nine bases across Afghanistan until 2024. | The Bilateral Security Agreement paves the way for up to 15,000 foreign troops, more than half of them American, to stay on in nine bases across Afghanistan until 2024. |
| Nato combat forces will leave at the end of next year, and the new agreement is vital to ensuring Afghans get the funds and training they need to support a relatively weak military. The US troops will also use their bases to chase al-Qaida and linked groups along the Pakistani border. | Nato combat forces will leave at the end of next year, and the new agreement is vital to ensuring Afghans get the funds and training they need to support a relatively weak military. The US troops will also use their bases to chase al-Qaida and linked groups along the Pakistani border. |
| The deal has been highly controversial, with the final wording only agreed between Washington and Kabul hours before the delegates took their seats. But the Loya Jirga is expected to be more political theatre than real test of the accord, as Karzai looks to spread the political risk of signing off on a long-term US presence. | The deal has been highly controversial, with the final wording only agreed between Washington and Kabul hours before the delegates took their seats. But the Loya Jirga is expected to be more political theatre than real test of the accord, as Karzai looks to spread the political risk of signing off on a long-term US presence. |
| "What comes out pretty clearly when you talk to people who are on the organising committee or ordinary delegates at this thing [is that] pretty much everyone is in favour of the Americans having a troop presence. Not absolutely everyone, but there is a surprising consensus," one western diplomat said. "If that's the overwhelming picture, then surely Karzai is going to get that through in some way." | "What comes out pretty clearly when you talk to people who are on the organising committee or ordinary delegates at this thing [is that] pretty much everyone is in favour of the Americans having a troop presence. Not absolutely everyone, but there is a surprising consensus," one western diplomat said. "If that's the overwhelming picture, then surely Karzai is going to get that through in some way." |
| The last-minute discussions on the draft came after Karzai demanded an apology from the US for past mistakes by the military and an absolute ban on foreign troops going into Afghan homes, both of which the White House refused. | The last-minute discussions on the draft came after Karzai demanded an apology from the US for past mistakes by the military and an absolute ban on foreign troops going into Afghan homes, both of which the White House refused. |
| It may have been heartfelt, as Karzai has long been a staunch advocate of barring western soldiers from Afghan houses, but it was also politically astute before a conference at which delegates include the relatives of civilians killed by both the Taliban and Nato forces. | It may have been heartfelt, as Karzai has long been a staunch advocate of barring western soldiers from Afghan houses, but it was also politically astute before a conference at which delegates include the relatives of civilians killed by both the Taliban and Nato forces. |
| The dispute gave him grounds to shift the focus of his speech away from the US demand that their troops have immunity from the Afghan judicial system, which is highly emotive, to the question of whether their troops can enter Afghan homes. | The dispute gave him grounds to shift the focus of his speech away from the US demand that their troops have immunity from the Afghan judicial system, which is highly emotive, to the question of whether their troops can enter Afghan homes. |
| The Afghan president read out a letter he said came from the US president, Barack Obama, urging Afghans to vote for the deal, promising respect from his troops, and saying they would enter Afghan houses only in extreme circumstances when their own lives were at risk. | The Afghan president read out a letter he said came from the US president, Barack Obama, urging Afghans to vote for the deal, promising respect from his troops, and saying they would enter Afghan houses only in extreme circumstances when their own lives were at risk. |
| "We will continue to make every effort to respect the sanctity and dignity of Afghans, in their homes and in their daily lives, just as we do for our citizens," the only section of the original English released by the president's aides read. The US embassy declined to comment on whether the letter was genuine or provide a transcript. | "We will continue to make every effort to respect the sanctity and dignity of Afghans, in their homes and in their daily lives, just as we do for our citizens," the only section of the original English released by the president's aides read. The US embassy declined to comment on whether the letter was genuine or provide a transcript. |
| Karzai said he had canvassed major powers, including India, China and Russia, as well as the government of Pakistan and leaders of other neighbouring countries, and all of them except Iran had urged him to sign the security pact for the sake of Afghanistan's future. | |
| He finished what is likely to be one of the key speeches of his career with a familiar political appeal, to delegates' concerns for their children. His own son, he said, had learned the words "ministry of defence" aged only four, after the building near the palace came under attack. | He finished what is likely to be one of the key speeches of his career with a familiar political appeal, to delegates' concerns for their children. His own son, he said, had learned the words "ministry of defence" aged only four, after the building near the palace came under attack. |
| "In what country is that normal?" he said. "So it will be better for our future if we sign this agreement." | "In what country is that normal?" he said. "So it will be better for our future if we sign this agreement." |
| • Mokhtar Amiri contributed reporting | • Mokhtar Amiri contributed reporting |
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