Obama in Afghanistan: Security Pact on Top of Talks

Local Editor

US President Barack Obama made a surprised visit to Afghanistan on Sunday, as the US forces are wrapping up their 13-year mission.

According to Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes, the purpose of Obama's visit is the troops not politics. Thus, he has had no meetings with the Afghani President Hamid Karzai or the two candidates in the runoff election to succeed him, Abdullah Abdullah or Ashraf Ghani.

Rhodes further emphasized the US need for a bilateral security agreement in place before there could be a post-2014 force in Afghanistan.
 
Knowing that, Karzai has refused to sign such an agreement, but top advisors to the president hope that Karzai's successor will come to another conclusion.
Obama said, addressing the US troops "Once Afghanistan has sworn in its new president, I'm hopeful we'll sign a bilateral security agreement that lets us move forward."

Karzai has long expressed anger at civilian deaths in Afghanistan. he further considered that the war in Afghanistan was not fought with his country's interests in mind.

In a statement issued before Obama's arrival in Afghanistan, Karzai criticized the US phone surveillance program, saying it violates his country's sovereignty.
The US forces have invaded Afghanistan on October 2001, a month after the September 11 attacks.

Sources: News Agencies, Edited by website team