Afghan President Hamid Karzai is increasingly stuck between a rock and a hard place on the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA), which would keep the US occupation force in place through 2024 and beyond.
Karzai had ruled out signing the deal until after the April elections, but is facing pressure from political rivals, as well as the United States, to sign more quickly.
The US Ambassador to Afghanistan, James Cunningham, insisted that the US never considered the “zero option” until Karzai’s refusal to sign, and if the US isn’t occupying the nation beyond 2014, it will be all the outgoing Afghan president’s fault.
Knuckling under right now would be awfully tough for Karzai, however, since a US drone strike earlier today killed two women and a child, and has fueled public opposition to the US once again. Karzai is calling for any deal to end the drone strikes, but the US insists they want the deal signed exactly as already written, with no such restrictions.
Resist Hamid!
You have a choice Karzai
Grovel and sign the BSA as is
or
Stand up for the dignity of all Afghans and refuse
Demand as follows:
Afghan drone bases in Virginia, Maryland, Nevada, California, Pennsylvania. Unlimited free sidewinders. In exchange, promise you reeeeally won't whack anyone whenever you promise not to whack anyone.
Right to sieze, indefinitely detain, and interrogate suspected war-criminals from their homes in North America, along with any persons-of-interest nearby, 'till 2050. Suspect pool should be expected to increase to include most of the population as the little weasels give up various acquaintances for hope of relief.
…add away to your hearts content.
Karzai will be blamed either way. If he refuses to sign, as Maliki did when Iraq was given a similar "take it or we leave" offer, he'll be blamed for the resulting violence. If he agrees, Afghans can look forward to more drone strikes and night raids, all done with complete impunity. And again, Karzai will get the blame. No wonder he wants to postpone all action until after he's gone.