Afghan president dismisses US report on Taliban gains
Iran Press TV
Mon Dec 30, 2013 6:38PM GMT
Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has strongly rejected a US intelligence report that predicts the military gains of the past years will be significantly rolled back by 2017.
"We strongly reject that as baseless as they have in the past been proved inaccurate,' media outlets quoted Karzai spokesman, Eimal Faizi, as saying.
The National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), which includes input from 16 intelligence agencies of the US, predicted that the Taliban would become more influential as the American military draws down its troops in Afghanistan.
The report added that Afghanistan might fall into chaos if Kabul refuses to sign the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) that allows the US forces to remain in Afghanistan beyond the planned 2014 pullout.
The report came amid a standoff between the US and Afghan leaders over the security agreement.
President Karzai has refused to sign the so-called security deal, saying the US military must first halt its night raids. The US has been pressuring Karzai to sign the pact but the Afghan president says the matter should be left to the next government after April elections.
Washington says if Karzai doesn't sign the deal before the year's end, the US-led forces must leave Afghanistan completely.
Afghan activists say the security treaty between Washington and Kabul will pave the way for prolonged US military presence in the war-ravaged country.
Afghan political figures have also heaped scorn on US-led forces for committing unforgivable crimes against Afghan women and children since invading the country in 2001.
JR/SS
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