U.S.–Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Agreement

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The U.S.–Afghanistan Strategic Partnership Agreement (SASPA) was a 2012 framework to guide the long-term relationship between Afghanistan and the United States after most U.S. forces left Afghanistan. It became effective on July 4, 2012. The goal was to set up a durable partnership that would support Afghanistan’s sovereignty, security, governance, and development, with plans to replace the current post-2014 security arrangements with a Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) within a year.

Key developments and steps

- Early 2012 agreements: In March 2012, the Parwan Detention Facility near Bagram was to be transferred to Afghan control, with the U.S. providing logistics for up to a year and a joint commission handling detainee releases. In April 2012, control of special operations was shifted to Afghan forces, giving Afghan units more say in night raids while U.S. troops remained in a supporting role.
- SASPA as a framework: By May 2012, the U.S. and Afghanistan intended SASPA to cover at least 10 years and to lay out areas such as development, governance, security, and regional cooperation. It also set the stage for long-term U.S. support for development, health care, education, and social programs, while keeping details for future agreements.
- Major issues: Two big sticking points were Afghan demands for immunity for U.S. troops under Afghan law and the question of U.S. military bases in Afghanistan. Afghan leaders emphasized sovereignty and the avoidance of permanent bases.
- Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) talks: Negotiations on the BSA began in 2012 and continued into 2013. Disagreements over immunity, raids, and the presence of U.S. troops after 2014 caused pauses and tensions. In 2013, there was a push to reach core elements, but immunity remained a contentious issue.
- 2013–2014 process: In October 2013, a set of core elements for the BSA was announced, but the issue of jurisdiction and immunity was not fully resolved. By November 2013, a draft included the possibility of U.S. forces remaining after 2014 under a limited, trained, advisory, and counterterrorism role, with U.S. troops under Afghan sovereignty and subject to Afghan law where applicable.
- Loya Jirga and ratification: The Afghan grand council (Loya Jirga) endorsed the BSA text in November 2013, but President Hamid Karzai did not sign it right away. Parliament later debated the agreement. Afghanistan’s leadership raised conditions, including limits on troop numbers, responsibilities for damages, and stronger guarantees to defend Afghanistan from external threats.
- Finalizing the BSA: By late 2013, talks continued, with the plan to sign the BSA after the 2014 elections. Afghanistan’s leadership wanted to ensure sovereignty protections and clear rules for operations. In 2014, Ashraf Ghani became president, and the BSA was eventually signed on September 30, 2014, in Kabul.

What the agreement covered and what it did not

- Purpose: The BSA created a legal framework for continued U.S. training, advising, and assistance to Afghan security forces and for counterterrorism cooperation after 2014. It did not include a mutual defense pact or automatic U.S. military guarantees.
- U.S. forces and bases: The BSA allowed a residual U.S. presence to support Afghan forces, with bases still to be negotiated and authorized by Afghan authorities. It affirmed that U.S. forces would operate with Afghan sovereignty, avoid civilian harm, and respect Afghan law.
- Immunity and jurisdiction: The agreement gave the United States jurisdiction over its personnel for criminal and civil offenses in Afghanistan, while Afghan authorities could request waivers or exceptions. Afghan courts would handle most cases involving U.S. personnel, and contractors remained under Afghan jurisdiction.
- Training and support: The plan included ongoing U.S. funding for Afghan security forces, continued NATO training, and a long-term security framework designed to promote stability and regional cooperation.

After the BSA

- Implementation and duration: The BSA took effect on January 1, 2015 and was designed to remain in force beyond 2024, with a mechanism for two years’ notice to terminate.
- Reductions and mission changes: Over time, the U.S. and NATO reduced troop levels and shifted to a training and advisory role, with counterterrorism missions conducted by U.S. special operations forces as agreed.
- Termination: In February 2020, the Trump administration ended the BSA in connection with the Doha Agreement between the United States and the Taliban, triggering the withdrawal of U.S. forces and changing the U.S. military presence in Afghanistan.

In short, SASPA created a long-term framework for partnership after 2014, leading to the BSA in 2014 to define how the U.S. would train, advise, and support Afghan security forces and counterterrorism efforts. The arrangement aimed to preserve Afghan sovereignty, avoid permanent U.S. bases, and establish a pathway for security cooperation, which the later Doha Agreement effectively ended in 2020.