November 21, 2013 -- Updated 1933 GMT (0333 HKT)
The United States and Afghanistan have reached a deal on the final
language of a bilateral security pact, an agreement that will be
discussed Thursday by Afghanistan's loya jirga of tribal elders. FULL STORY
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WHAT IS LOYA JIRGA?
November 21, 2013 -- Updated 0136 GMT (0936 HKT)
U.S. & Afghanistan reach security deal
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- NEW: John Kerry says "it's up to the people of Afghanistan" to approve the agreement
- If they do, the deal would extend from 2015 through 2024 "and beyond"
- It says U.S. "forces shall not conduct combat operations in Afghanistan"
U.S. Secretary of State
John Kerry said the accord was reached during conversations Wednesday
between himself and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Afghan leaders will hold a
meeting -- known as a loya jirga, or grand assembly -- starting on
Thursday to decide whether to accept or reject the deal, which lays out a
limited support role for American forces beyond next year.
"They have to pass it," Kerry said. "... It's up to the people of Afghanistan."
If approved, the
agreement would go into effect January 1, 2015, and last "until the end
of 2024 and beyond, unless terminated" by mutual agreement and with two
years notice by either party, according to a copy of the deal posted online Wednesday by the Afghan government that a U.S. official confirms is authentic.
Rice: No U.S. apology to Afghanistan
The subject of military
raids and strikes has long been a sore point between the two countries,
especially given a number of incidents in which noncombatant men, women
and children were killed.
The proposed deal
contains references to respecting "Afghanistan's sovereignty and
territorial integrity," and adds U.S. forces "shall not target Afghan
civilians, including in their homes."
But this agreement does
not address past transgressions. In fact, Kerry strongly rejected a U.S.
apology for operations that resulted in civilian casualties was part of
the back-and-forth, as some published reports suggested, insisting
"it's just not even on the table."
"I don't know where the
idea of an apology started," Kerry said. "President Karzai didn't ask
for an apology. ... There has never been a discussion of or the word
apology used in our discussions whatsoever."
The agreement does state
that U.S. forces will play a support role in Afghanistan, while at the
same time ceding that "U.S. military operations to defeat al Qaeda and
its affiliates may be appropriate in the common fight against
terrorism."
"U.S. military
counterterrorism operations are intended to complement and support (the
Afghan military's) counterterrorism operations, with the goal of
maintaining (the Afghan military's) lead and with full respect for
Afghan sovereignty and full regard for the safety and security of the
Afghan people, including in their homes," the tentative deal states.
The agreement also
includes language on the U.S. government's continued funding for Afghan
security forces, funneling such contributions through the Kabul-based
government. The U.S. military "shall have the exclusive right" to
discipline and prosecute its members for alleged acts committed on
Afghan soil, according to the tentative deal, though Afghan authorities
can ask that anyone be taken out of the country.
U.S. troops first
deployed to Afghanistan after the September 11, 2001, terror attacks,
which were coordinated by al Qaeda leaders then based in the south Asian
nation.
Since taking office,
President Barack Obama has promised -- and, in some cases, acted -- to
reduce troop levels there, in addition to stating the goal of ending the
U.S. combat mission by the end of 2014.
The approval of a security agreement would pave the way for Americans troops to remain on the ground in Afghanistan beyond that.
Speaking on Wednesday,
White House spokesman Jay Carney stressed that any U.S. forces would
have "a very limited mission" and would not be "patrolling cities or
mountains."
"The war in Afghanistan will end next year, as the president has promised," Carney said. "The combat mission will be over."
Kerry used similar
language in calling the U.S. military's role in Afghanistan "very
limited," adding "it is entirely (to) train, equip and assist" Afghan
forces.
The language in the
proposed security agreement, in fact, speaks to that point: "Unless
otherwise mutually agreed, the United States forces shall not conduct
combat operations in Afghanistan."
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