Bilateral Security Agreement: A supreme national interest and necessity of our time

By: Habib Sangar

Afghanistan, taking into consideration its geopolitical location, for many centuries has been the center of focus for conquerors and superpowers. However, over the past 30 years and with the emergence of other regional actors (China, India, Iran, and Pakistan), the regional dynamics within the region that has had a direct impact over the situation in Afghanistan has been greatly shifted otherwise. Looking at the current situation of Afghanistan, its weak and corrupted administration, poorly equipped and fragile National Army and Police, as well as weak economy, the country has a long way towards being able to stand on its own feet and to defend its citizens against any kind of inside and outside threats. Unless there is a long-term guarantee and assurance that is more likely to be created with the long-term presence of the United States and its NATO allies on the ground, the likelihood of relapsing back into chaos is undeniable.

The negotiation on Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) had been going on for, almost, a year; and despite of meeting majority of the preconditions that had been brought up by Karzai’s administration, the final outcome, on which both sides except Karzai agreed, is yet to be signed. There is no doubt that the United States has great interest in staying in the region, but this interest is not to the extent to overrule some of its fundamental principles at home. The U.S Administration, in most cases, has immensely been under the pressure of the elected representatives in Congress. It was the elected officials who alongside the President Reagan had turned their backs to Afghanistan after the withdrawal of Soviet Union and its eventual collapse. And currently, a large percentage of U.S. citizens have already been in support of a complete withdrawal of their men and women in uniforms from Afghanistan. What President Karzai is playing is not only in the good interest of the people of Afghanistan, it, however, can further add to the frustration of the people of the United States who have long been pressuring their representatives, sooner than later, to bring their troops home. 

As any of the wise leaders presiding over Afghanistan would do, with calling on Loya Jirga Karzai did so maturely to ensure that there is support of Afghan people on this very vital issue, BSA. But at the end, it's so much annoying to come across such contradiction that has been emerged with his lack of respect to the recommendations and decision made by his own picked members of this grand assembly.  Regardless of its composition, in principals as well as based on the Afghan Constitution the “Loya Jirga” is the highest manifestation of the will of the people of Afghanistan; and refusing to accept the outcomes of days long discussions made by the respective Jirga in support of signing BSA is not only an insult to the nation’s will, it, however, is a clear violation of the Afghan constitution that has given this Jirga the authority to discuss and decide over such issues of supreme interest to the nation.

What appear from president Karzai's new conditions are that he, unfortunately, unrealistically tries to achieve some of the things that haven’t been achieved in the past 12 years.  Peace, for instance, is one of the main conditions that he seeks to be achieved prior to signing the Agreement.  He sounds logical but at the same time very naive by making this precondition in a very last minute. He, what the common sense makes us to buy it, sees the root causes of the conflict across the border, in Pakistan. Peace, of course, is in an absolute interest of the Afghan people and so does is for the United States who, especially, has spent $ 600 billion alongside suffering 2000 losses of its troops since its engagement in Afghanistan. But to ensure a long lasting peace and stability, it’s so critical to deal with the root causes of the conflict. The existence of hardliners, across the border, in Pakistan, has to be eliminated. Unless Pakistan redefines its interest in Afghanistan, which it currently seeks to pursue in maintaining strategic depth, use the country as safe sanctuaries in the same way as it did to deter and curb India’s interest in the region, peace is unlikely to be achieved. Last but not least, one of the fundamental issues that has greatly contributed to today’s regional unrest, and of course will keep destabilizing the region is the way the foreign policy of Pakistan is designed. Pakistan, as the general consensus views it, has always prioritized putting its military as first option and resort while designing its foreign doctrines in regard to the region. While addressing these challenges requires long-term strategies, especially considering the current situation in Pakistan and the support and sympathy that exist for the Taliban there, afghan leadership has to avail itself of this current opportunities that will be provided with by BSA to prevent becoming to what it was a failed State 12 years ago. With its overwhelming support during the Loya Jirga, Afghan people, once again, have proved that they desperately want peace and stability at any cost.

Due to these facts and taking into account the current regional dynamics, BSA is not only in the greatest interest of the people of Afghanistan, but it is one of the necessities of our time. Therefore, to leave a good legacy behind, president Karzai should respect the will of its nation and sign the BSA as soon as possible. Meanwhile, working with his international ally in the war on terror, mainly the United States, he should focus on some of the fundamental issues that have resulted in regional conflict, particularly when it comes to deal with main source of insurgency in Pakistan. With the ensuring a free and fair election, which will, for the first time, result in peaceful transition of power from an incumbent president to his successor in the history of the country, president Karzai is not only going to ensure a good legacy is left behind him, he will, also, lay down the cornerstone for strengthening of democracy, accountability, and long-lasting stability in country which is the desire of both Afghans and the people of the United States.