US: Afghan pact should be signed by end of year

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Thursday called on Afghanistan to sign a new security pact with the United States by the end of the year, exposing a rift with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who said he prefers that his successor sign the document after elections next April.

White House spokesman Josh Earnest said failure to finalize an agreement within the coming weeks “would prevent the United States and our allies from being able to plan for a post-2014 presence” in Afghanistan.