Bilateral Security Agreement has turned a bone of discontent between US and Afghanistan. The failure of the Afghan government to sign a Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) with the United States has strained ties between the two countries. Even then US has pledged supporting Afghanistan particularly working on governance subsequent to complete drawdown of US forces.

The BSA allows US military trainers and counterterrorism forces to remain in Afghanistan after the last American combat troops leave the country by December this year. This will ensure both political stability and security, given the insurgents and non-democratic forces trying to destabilize the system, are kept at bay. Taliban dreaming, to oust Kabul government subsequent to withdrawal of US forces, turn futile whilst Afghan national army is well equipped and privileged with greater opportunity of continued training by international forces.

The BSA was approved by a Loya Jirga in Kabul back in November, but President Karzai has said that he will not sign the accord unless the US meets a set of new preconditions, pleading furtherance of peace process with Taliban and ending unilateral operations involving Afghan insurgent homes. There are around 47,000 US troops in Afghanistan working on security mission assisting over 300,000 Afghan security forces to fight insurgency. The stalemate of BSA has made US gradually draw down their combat forces.

Earlier US and its international ally NATO planned to leave 8,000 to 12,000 soldiers, in Afghanistan if the BSA is signed. However the unexpected delay has complicated the state of affair compelling them to think of zero option. This tally to U.S. diplomats saying, “Longer the BSA remains unsigned, more Washington will have to begin to plan for the "zero-option". Formerly U.S. Vice President Joe Biden favored a total commitment of only 2,000 troops after the NATO combat mission ends in December, a stance indicative of a broader shift.

This is high reduction that would only be able to maintain security for the diplomatic assets of the U.S. in Afghanistan. Meaning, such a residual force would not be able to meet the continuation of assistance, training and advice mission of the Afghan forces. Obviously it is deep loss for Afghanistan.

BSA if not signed, not only multiplies concern of US but also the international community and European nation. This reality surfaced when German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier while meeting his counterpart Zarar Ahmad Usmani underlining the need for the early conclusion of the BSA. The German foreign minister told President Karzai that the pact wasn’t important to the US alone but equally important to Germany and other European nations. “Absence of BSA would restrict them staying in Afghanistan beyond 2014,” Steinmeier explained.

The aforementioned facts depicts that the deadlock over BSA strains not Afghanistan’s relation with a single country but with all NATO countries. It is high time that President Karzai should revise his decision in the light of socio-economic needs and requirement of the country, dependent on foreign aid.