In the wake of President Hamid Karzai's recent decision to reject the Loya Jirga's affirmative vote on the Kabul-Washington security pact, Afghan army officers spoke out on Thursday in favor of the accord and said they would need continued support from the U.S. in order to handle the countries many security threats.
Last Sunday Karzai said he would not sign the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) until after the Presidential elections, in contradiction to the recommendation made by the 2,500-person Jirga assembly and the requests of the U.S. He also laid out three preconditions that must be met for him to sign: transparent elections in April, no American raids on Afghan homes and a breakthrough in talks with the Taliban.
U.S. officials expressed commitment to continuing their support for Afghanistan, but said it would be impossible to meet Karzai's preconditions "overnight." They have suggested that if the agreement is not signed by the end of the year, the whole thing could be in jeopardy.
Without a BSA in place, the U.S. and its NATO allies would not keep residual forces in Afghanistan after the combat mission ends in 2014, leaving the Afghan forces to fend for themselves.
ANA officers on Thursday reaffirmed their determination to confront domestic and foreign threats to Afghanistan, but said that for repelling the aggressions of neighboring countries, in particular, the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) ANSF still require the support of the international community.
"Our elders realize the security threats posed to Afghanistan from regional countries, and if the BSA isn't signed, we will face a lot of challenges," an ANA officer named Homayoon Zulfiqar said.
Afghanistan provides only 12 percent of its own budget fo the armed services of the country, while the rest of the funds come from the U.S. and other NATO countries. If the BSA goes unsigned, some 4.1 billion USD in future aid would be frozen.
The deadlock on the BSA has created anxiety among many Afghans, with the the Chairman of the Advisory Loya Jirga Sebghatullah Mujaddadi saying he would flee the country if the pact is un-finalized and some politicians warning the country could be thrown into civil war.
Some ANA officers, however, showed unwavering confidence.
"We have the capability to safeguard our motherland without foreign training," another ANA officer Shah Jahan said.
But, for most, a "zero option" - in which no foreign troops would remain post-2014 - could be catastrophic for Afghanistan.
"This is an exceptional opportunity for Afghanistan because our armed forces require further military training, and regional and neighboring countries would increase their interference if the BSA is not signed," former Deputy Minister of Defense Atiqullah Baryalai said.
In the past few days, support for the BSA, and criticism of Karzai's recent moves, has flooded public discourse. MPs, Presidential candidates and experts alike have called on Karzai to go forward with the accord, which now awaits a vote from the National Assembly but ultimately requires his signature.
Analysts and officials have applauded the performance of the ANA and its fellow servicemen this year, which saw them assume most security responsibilities around the country for the first time. But still, their startlingly high casualty rates and continued issues with logistical management and professionalism have led many to push for a continued Kabul-Washington partnership.
The U.S. currently has around 48,000 troops in Afghanistan, and would likely keep around 10,000 post-2014 if the BSA is signed. Officials in Washington have said those troops would fill a training, advising and assisting role for the Afghan forces. As well, some special forces would remain in Afghanistan for counterterrorism operations against al-Qaeda and its associates.