Afghan President Hamid Karzai outlines plans for post-2014 U.S. mission --- KABUL — Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Thursday expressed support for a newly forged security pact that would permit thousands of U.S. troops to remain in Afghanistan for 10 years, but suggested that he is unlikely to sign the agreement until after his country’s presidential elections in April. -- Following weeks of negotiation and diplomatic tension, Karzai said the draft bilateral security agreement was agreed to early Thursday, after President Obama wrote Karzai a letter assuring him that U.S. forces will continue to respect the “sanctity and dignity of the Afghan people.” -- Karzai read the letter to more than 2,500 Afghan officials and leaders who are gathered in Kabul for four days of deliberations on the proposal. Speaking in a tent that resembled an inflatable sports stadium, Karzai urged the delegates at the event, known as a loya jirga, to consider the consequences of a full U.S. withdrawal from the country. - More, Tim Craig - Washingtonpost