U.S. troops will train Afghan women from the spring

The U.S. president Barack Obama and Afghanistan, Hamid Karzai , today began a lengthy closed-door meeting at the White House where the main topic will be the future of China and the U.S. role in it. After an initial meeting with the extended team, in which the U.S. side involved including Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State,Hillary Clinton , Obama and Karzai immediately afterwards maintained a bilateral meeting "restricted". They also participate in a luncheon at the White House before going to the media at a joint press conference. The focus of the agenda of the day is the "transition in Afghanistan and shared vision of a lasting alliance between the U.S. and Afghanistan" , as expressed by the White House. What this means for practical purposes the discussion on what the future role in Afghanistan once Washington is complete withdrawal of troops from the country in 2014 , or if it will remain wholly or some force there. This is something that should translate into a bilateral security agreement that regulates, among other things, how many bases and soldiers may keep the U.S. in Afghanistan until 2024, but has not yet set a date for the heading of this document kind. The subject has already occupied the day before talks Karzai, who spends several days in Washington, with Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta. Speaking later to reporters, the Pentagon chief said last night that he and Karzai "believe very strongly" that the security transition plan adopted last year by NATO is working. But the Pentagon chief declined to answer questions about troop levels after 2014, and only said that several options were presented to the White House. Karzai meanwhile expressed optimism to the eventual signing of a bilateral security agreement between the two countries. Thanks to get U.S. support "that Afghanistan never again be threatened by terrorists from across its borders," said the president.

Immunity for Troops

Obama has announced that it has agreed with Karzai, in a few months ahead to spring, the passage of U.S. troops in a supporting role of Afghan forces. "As of this spring (northern hemisphere), our troops will have a different mission: to train, advise, assist Afghan forces " , Obama said in a joint news conference with Karzai after meeting all morning at the White House premises. This stage, which had originally been scheduled for mid-year, will be a "historic moment" and "another step towards full Afghan sovereignty" , said the president. In addition, the U.S. president has stated that the possibility of maintaining a "sustainable presence" in Afghanistan beyond 2014 would only be possible by guaranteeing the immunity of U.S. troops. "In my opinion, it would be possible to have any troop presence without assurances that there will be immunity for our men and women," he said. In his appearance, Obama has made clear it will not be possible reconciliation with the Taliban in Afghanistan unless they renounce terrorism.