美國國防部長查克·哈格爾來到北約總部呼籲阿富汗迅速行動批准在2014年撤兵後制定規則管理美國軍隊的協定。
2013年阿富汗軍隊戰鬥任務高峰期中士兵持續損失為平均每週有100人死亡。
但在北約作為旁觀者的美國官員稱這個數字已經逐漸下降而且阿富汗領導人需要通過批准安全協定及切實實施維持現存碩果確保北約部隊離開後國家的和平。
北約官員表示上周喀布爾郊外一處住宅社區的暴力自殺式炸彈襲擊是一個信號,表明冬季可能會特別發生暴力流血事件—這是激進分子高調攻擊以恐嚇民眾反對2014年之後任何外國軍隊的駐紮。
現在輪到阿富汗部落首領和阿富汗議會批准這項協議。
為此而展開的辯論預計將在11月上演。
而一個關鍵點是美國需求的公司保留美國軍隊的法律管轄,這樣他們就不會受到阿富汗法律的起訴。
美國可以決定如果真有的話,有多少美國軍隊2014年後將繼續留在阿富汗前一定會有相關政策出臺。
U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel came to NATO headquarters with a call for Afghanistan to work swiftly-to approve the deal that will set the rules governing the presence of U.S. forces after the 2014 withdrawal.
Afghan troops sustained losses averaging 100 soldiers killed per week at the peak of combat missions in 2013.
But U.S. officials, speaking on the sidelines here at NATO, say that number has tapered off recently and say Afghan leaders need to sustain the gains by approving the security agreement and putting in place conditions to ensure peace in the country after NATO troops depart.
Violence like this suicide bomb attack on a residential compound in the outskirts of Kabul last week is a sign of what NATO officials say could be an especially violent winter-as militants step up high-profile attacks in an effort to scare the population into opposing any foreign troop presence after 2014.
It is now up to Afghan tribal leaders and the Afghan parliament to approve the deal.
Those debates are expected in November.
A key sticking point is the firm U.S. demand to retain legal jurisdiction over U.S. troops so they would not be subject to prosecution under Afghan laws.
An agreement is necessary before the U.S. can decide how many, if any, U.S. troops will remain in Afghanistan after 2014.
