By M K Bhadrakumar
Afghan President Hamid Karzai took a big step last Sunday to fulfill his part of the deal with the United States to conclude a strategic pact that would provide for long-term American military presence in the region. And as quid pro quo he would expect to get an extended lease of political life beyond 2014 when his second and final term as president is due to end.
Karzai has proved a smart politician. He raised the pitch of rhetoric as an Afghan nationalist and insisted he wouldn't sign a pact unless the American forces ceased all "night raids" on
Afghan homes (which is a very explosive issue for Afghan men). The American side played ball and didn't relent. A public spat continued through months and the more the American side kept refusing, the more Karzai's image as a nationalist got burnished.
He finally scored a resounding win when the Americans decided that it was about time he won.
On Sunday, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed in Kabul that governs "night raids" in Afghanistan. Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak and the commander of the US forces in Afghanistan, General John Allen, signed the MoU, around which a lot of hype has been created. "This is a landmark day in rule of law," Allen said, claiming that Afghans are now "in the lead on two of the most important issues: capturing the terrorists and ensuring they remain behind bars." READ MORE
