NATO countries are working on plans about what number of their troops should remain in Afghanistan after 2014 and what would be their role. High authorities of NATO have stressed on the point that 2014 does not mean the end of counter-terrorism mission in Afghanistan and that this country would not be left alone.

It is expected that US and some other of its allies will keep several thousand of their troops for a long run in Afghanistan whose role will be supporting Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). Their focus will be training ANSF and assisting them in military operations, if required. According to reports a negotiation process between the US and Afghan governments is going on to develop a formal framework for long term foreign military presence in Afghanistan.

The general idea among Afghan public is that the US-led forces will withdraw from Afghanistan by the end of 2014, after handing over all security responsibilities of this country to ANSF. But, as has been emphasized by Western authorities, the process of boosting the capabilities of Afghan security forces will continue for long time after 2014. US Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta has said that the US would have an enduring presence in Afghanistan after withdrawal of major number of its troops from Afghanistan.

Its main focus will be countering terrorism to make sure groups like al-Qaida do attack the US or any country, training and assisting Afghan National Army and Police and enhancing the capabilities of Afghan government.

Afghan government needs to address the problems facing it by using the presence of US and other NATO countries in Afghanistan. If on one hand corruption, illiteracy, high dropout rates, and infiltration of Taliban into the ranks of Afghan forces are considered severe hurdles for their development, on the other, lack of proper and latest equipments, weapons, tanks and war crafts makes Afghan army and police to be less confident. All these need solution.

Setting 2014 as an ending point to Western countries engagement in Afghanistan would mean putting all the so-far gains that have been achievement by support from international community at risk of being lost.

But it would be quite unjust to the people of Afghanistan and the people of countries that have sent their soldiers to this country, if the gains that have been achieved through immense sacrifices of foreign and Afghan soldiers are just allowed to be lost. Future stability of Afghanistan directly depends on decisions of Afghan government and the international community at the crucial juncture we are standing today.