Last week, the Enduring Strategic Partnership Agreement between Afghanistan and the United States was signed by the presidents of the two countries in the darkness of the night. The agreement commits the two countries "to strengthen long-term strategic cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including: advancing peace, security, and reconciliation; strengthening state institutions; supporting Afghanistan's long-term economic and social development; and encouraging regional cooperation."

Talking to journalists on Thursday, May 03, 2012, President Hamid Karzai said that the strategic agreement is against changing the centralized power structure – presidential system - into parliamentary system. It is to be said that the agreement does say that Afghanistan should strengthen its institutions within its political system, which is now a unitary system as it reads "Afghanistan reaffirms its commitment to protecting human and political rights under its Constitution and international obligations, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

In this regard, Afghanistan shall strengthen the integrity and capacity of its democratic institutions and processes, including by taking tangible steps to further the efficiency and effectiveness of its three branches of state, within its unitary system of government, and supporting development of a vibrant civil society, including a free and open media."

A couple of points need to be made below on president Karzai's remarks on the agreement: 1) It is not possible for Afghanistan to fulfill its commitment to invigorating the three branches of power under the existing political system as the last ten years show that parliament could be easily bypassed, laws could be easily violated and judiciary could be easily used to bypass the parliament and violate laws by and due to a strong and unaccountable presidency with centralized power.

So if the agreement, based on president Karzai's reading of it, does not allow changes to be brought into the political and electoral systems, it would be self-contradictory.
2) President Karzai must not be too excited to begin using the agreement for his own vested political interests because it is not going to supersede Afghan constitution, which provides for changing the constitution, including articles related to the power structures in the country.

3) The US will never have the right to keep the current presidential system in Afghanistan if and when Afghan people themselves wish and will to change it into a parliamentary one, which could be more inclusive and more accountable in terms of representation, power division and accountability.

4) President Karzai must focus on how to utilize the commitments made by the US for the country's social and economic developments. Instead, he has to begin to purge his administration of rampant corruption so that Afghan people can continue to receive financial support from international community to build and develop their country. The fact is that president Karzai is extremely confused and nervous, and unwisely and feebly resists the stridently emerging voices of Afghan people for political reforms.