The Deputy Secretary of the United States, William Burns, is in Kabul to hold talks with Afghan officials over the possible framework of Kabul-Washington strategic partnership. Recently President Karzai said that the United States will continue staying in the country beyond 2014 and wants to have nine military bases in the country. His voice tone was somehow friendly and denoted on his consent over the continuance of US military presence.

Previously, he criticized the US and Taliban and called the insurgent activities in line with US policies. His statement of clandestine partnership of Taliban with foreign countries, particularly, US angered foreign allies and Washington called the statements as ridiculous. US officials also rejected any hidden discussion or collision with militants. Many American journalists and writers

labeled the statement as notorious and sign of deteriorating relations between Afghanistan and US.

However, thereafter President Karzai tried to recover the relation saying that he aimed to

improve the bilateral relation instead of damaging it. Perhaps, not only President Karzai but Afghan politicians and intellectuals agree with partial presence of US military beyond 2014 as assurance for national integrity and prevention of possible civil war. Whenever the concept of possible complete withdrawal of US military became bolder, President Karzai has reacted saying that the US will not leave the country.

What has remained dubious and sometimes caused tension between the two countries is the framework under which the partnership may continue.

Seemingly, there are several issues that have delayed the signatory of strategic partnership such legal impunity for US soldiers, the amount of US financial support, equipment and training of Afghan security forces who sometimes shot their American trainers right on the chest and finally commitment toward territorial integrity of Afghanistan. It is highly possible that Afghan officials ask with much desperateness about defending against possible foreign intervention as happened in past few days due to border clashes with Pakistan.

Anyhow it is not clear whether the United States pay such high price for maintaining its presence or not what is somehow believed is that the US after spending billions does not want to leave the country to once again change into the center of terrorism. It is also possible that Afghan government may not easily accept legal impunity for American soldiers such an acceptance might sometimes lead to civil uprising as witnessed during last eleven years.