NATO top commander: Security deal best way to stabilize Afghanistan

The top commander of NATO in Afghanistan, Gen. Joseph F. Dunford on Thursday declared Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) the best way to bring peace, stability and progress to Afghanistan and vanquish the war-torn country's enemies. The commander in a press conference in Afghan capital city Kabul said that Afghan national security forces (ANSF) did not exist a decade ago, but were reconstructed and strengthened very carefully as a result of efforts over the past 10 years. Mr. Dunford told, "During this period, 182 aircraft, more than 100,000 vehicles and over 500,000 weapons and more than 200,000 communication tools have been provided to Afghan forces." The Afghan President, Hamid Karzai has shown reluctance in signing the BSA that would allow United States troops to stay in Afghanistan post withdrawal of NATO/ISAF forces from the country till end of 2014. In reference to the signing of BSA, the commander said that delay in signing of the deal was fuelling confusion in the international coalition and the Afghans. Dunford said, "I believe this agreement is the best way to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan, to eliminate insurgents and support security and political transitions." Regarding the announcement by the Afghan president to release 88 prisoners from the Bagram jail of Afghanistan, he said that the move was violative of an agreement between Washington and Kabul on the transfer of the detention facility to local control. Gen. Joseph F. Dunford said that the UN-mandate International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) had no plans to leave Afghanistan and the coalition wanted to focus on continuing its mission in Afghanistan beyond 2014.