US president Barack Obama has slipped into Afghanistan on the anniversary of the killing of 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden and signed an agreement cementing US commitment to the nation after American combat troops leave.
Alongside Afghan president Hamid Karzai, Mr Obama declared, "Together, we're now committed to replacing war with peace."
The partnership spells out the US relationship with Afghanistan beyond 2014, covering security, economics and governance. The deal is limited in scope and essentially gives both sides political cover. Afghanistan is guaranteed its sovereignty and promised it will not be abandoned, while the US gets to end its combat mission in the long and... read more