Afghanistan: President Karzai Plays Realpolitik at the Loya Jirga

More than 3,000 prominent Afghans gathered in Kabul Nov. 21 to hold council at Afghanistan's Loya Jirga, or grand assembly. Afghan President Hamid Karzai opened the four-day proceedings with an expression of support for the most critical issue facing the council: a post-2014 deal with the United States known as the bilateral security agreement. In a controversial move, however, he proposed that his successor should be the one to secure any such accord.

The bilateral security agreement between the United States and Afghanistan, a proposal to secure an external military presence beyond the predicted coalition withdrawal date of 2014, would likely extend existing training, advisory and support missions. More important, it will guarantee the inflow of $4 billion in foreign aid annually. This money, along with advisory personnel, has been crucial in maintaining the effectiveness of the Afghan National Security Forces. An effectual security and governance framework is widely regarded as the key to keeping Afghanistan stable after the planned U.S. withdrawal.