The White House issued President Hamid Karzai an ultimatum Monday night, telling him that all U.S. troops will exit Afghanistan in 2014 if he doesn’t sign on to the newly drawn security pact.
The tough talk comes as Ambassador Susan Rice and Mr. Karzai met for dinner in Kabul. Mr. Karzai, NBC reported, tried to outline new conditions for the bilateral security agreement, or BSA
The White House said in a statement: “Ambassador Rice reiterated that, without a prompt signature, the U.S. would have no choice but to initiate planning for post-2014 future in which there would be no U.S. or NATO troop presence in Afghanistan.
Ms. Rice’s dinner was the tail-end of a three-day trip through the country, during which she visited U.S. troops and Afghan civilians, NBC reported.
The White House added, in its statement: “Ambassador Rice conveyed the overwhelming and moving support she found among all the Afghans with whom she met for an enduring U.S.-Afghan partnership and for the prompt signing of the BSA. In closing, Rice highlighted the American people’s friendship and support for the people of Afghanistan as embodied in the extraordinary sacrifices of our service-men and women and the unprecedented investment Americans have made in Afghanistan.”
Mr. Karzai has not yet issued a response.
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• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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