US forces in Afghanistan after 2014 will not face local justice: draft deal

[jakeXT]

Source: AFP

Kabul (AFP) - US forces remaining in Afghanistan after 2014 will be subject to American justice rather than local courts, according to a draft security deal released by Kabul on Wednesday.

The legal status of US troops was a key sticking point in drawn-out negotiations over the bilateral security agreement (BSA) that will govern Washington's military presence after the bulk of NATO forces withdraw from Afghanistan next year.

The BSA will be discussed by a grand assembly of tribal leaders starting on Thursday and it must then be approved by the Afghan parliament before it can come into effect.

The draft text published on the Afghan foreign ministry website said Kabul had agreed that the United States should have "the exclusive right to exercise jurisdiction" over its forces in Afghanistan.



Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/afghanistan-us-finalise-security-pact-183932793.html

[msongs]

1. there should be no US troops there after 2014 nt

[dipsydoodle]

2. Remains to be seen what the Elders have to say

and if they agree to that its already apparent they will have a major problem with their own people.

[jakeXT]

3. The Russians are scratching their heads

Kabulov said Russia has many questions about the purpose of the bases.

The United States earlier said they would be used to train top brass of Afghanistan’s Defense Ministry and General Staff, which is estimated to count up to 400 people.

“Aren’t (400 people) too few for nine military bases?” Kabulov said. “Besides, what is the purpose of hiding the infrastructure of the Camp Shorabak training camp underground, which is moreover equipped with a three-kilometer runway?”

Kabulov said that while he accepted that Afghanistan was free to sign military agreements with any state, he hoped that Kabul’s authorization of foreign military bases would not result in security threats to third states, including Russia.

http://en.ria.ru/russia/20131120/184823320/Russia-Concerned-at-US-Plans-for-Bases-in-Afghanistan.html

[dipsydoodle]

4. Hmm......

Just cause for concern.

Aside from that - I wonder if the expression US troops and local justice excludes contractors ? No that its got a whole of meaning anyway as I'm sure they're quite capable of shooting and burying anyone who misbehaves.