Afghan Senators Want to Cancel Security Deals With US, NATO

They say US isn't fulfilling security promises

A number of Afghan senators, including deputy speaker Mohammed Alam Ezedyar, are calling for an immediate review of security agreements with both the United States and NATO, complaining that they have not fulfilled their promises to support Afghan forces in maintaining control of the country.

Afghan senators

In particular, senators complained that the amount of the territory under control is getting even worse, saying more than 50% of Afghanistan is now either under Taliban control or contested by them.

Sen. Afzai Shamil said the US “should be ashamed” and start taking the losses in Afghanistan seriously. Even those supporting the US deals agreed that the situation is looking dire, bur argued the security forces needed to be supported by the senate.

Many see this deal as a losing proposition, however, saying that Afghanistan needs to review the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) with the US, and the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) with NATO. It’s not clear if they want to negotiate a replacement, or just expel foreign forces from the country outright as a first step toward a negotiated settlement.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.