Karzai urges US to keep its troops well beyond 2014

Fazle Rashid NEW YORK, Nov 17: The international arena was full of pleas, threats and accommodation yesterday. Afghan President Hamid Karzai addressing the loya jirga, gathering of elders called upon the US to keep its troops well beyond 2014 withdrawal deadline. He said, "we should be respected as lions but we are ready to sign a strategic partnership with the US. If they want military facilities we are ready to give them but Afghan vision and interest must be respected." Karzai wants Americans to stop house searches by foreign troops, end night raids and dismantle foreign run detention centres. Karzai described Afghanistan as lion saying a lion does not like if a foreigner or stranger intrudes into his house. In a separate development, the United States issued a sharp rebuke for Egypt's ruling military elites for their brazen attempts to hold on to power long after the elections. Washington said it could reignite popular unrest. The senior Obama administration officials say the delay in transition could undermine the gain of revolution. Washington's concern has been evoked by Israeli interest. On the international defence front, China reacted bluntly and sharply to the US decision to open a base in Darwin Australia and deploy 2500 marines to shore up its presence in the region mainly with the intention of thwarting growing Chinese influence. China accused President Obama for escalating military tension in the region. The United States is trying to encircle China militarily and economically, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesman said China said the US move may not be in the interest of the regional countries. President Obama retorted saying the move was not to isolate China. In the Middle East and North Africa, the Arab League will send civilian and military monitors to Syria to see if Damascus was abiding by the League brokered peace plan to end the crackdown. The Arab League has suspended Syria's membership. The Arab League foreign ministers meeting in Rabat, Morocco set a three day deadline for Bashar al-Asad to comply with the peace plan. Syria must withdraw all troops from the streets and stop firing on protesters. There was no response from the Syrian government. And in Asia, the opposition party of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will decide on Friday whether to join the political system in Myanmar where long military rule and oppression have been in vogue. Suu Kyi who was under house arrest for more than two decades is now inclined to cooperate with the government. This will ease the long running economic sanctions In yet another separate development, Hussain Haqqani, Pakistan's ebullient ambassador to Washington has been summoned home for consultation. Haqqani is reported to have angered and annoyed Country's all powerful army by seeking US support to rein in the army after the killing of Osama bin-Laden. The revelations have sparked political uproar in Pakistan where civilian control of the military has always been resisted by the all powerful army.