Karzai Says U.S. Bases Can Stay, Raising Some Eyebrows in West

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/10/world/asia/karzai-says-us-can-keep-afghan-bases-after-2014.html?adxnnl=1&ref=world&adxnnlx=1368187329-gYtKYQtoqMLMctItA12Rzw



President Hamid Karzai’s comments on Thursday may reflect a desire for a larger force than the United States is likely to commit.

Karzai Says U.S. Bases Can Stay, Raising Some Eyebrows in West
By MATTHEW ROSENBERG
Published: May 9, 2013

KABUL, Afghanistan — Afghanistan is ready to let the United States and its allies keep military bases here after the end of the NATO combat mission next year, President Hamid Karzai said on Thursday, offering a concrete public signal that foreign troops would remain welcome in the coming years.

The United States and Afghanistan are negotiating a security agreement that would allow American forces to stay here beyond the end of 2014, and Mr. Karzai said the Obama administration had asked for nine bases spread across the country.

“We agree to give them these bases,” Mr. Karzai told students during a speech at Kabul University. “We consider our relations with the United States beyond 2014 to be positive for Afghanistan.”

The American reaction, though, was far less positive than one would expect. Officials characterized Mr. Karzai’s comments as premature at best, and said they appeared to reflect the Afghan government’s desire for a larger force than the United States is likely to be willing to commit.