As NATO troops wind down more than a decade of combat operations in Afghanistan, it is increasingly likely that some version of political Islam will be central to politics and governance in the country for the foreseeable future.
One needs to dig deep into history to understand Afghan President Hamid Karzai's reluctance to sign a Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) with Washington that an overwhelming majority of Afghans support.
A frequently asked question is whether Afghans will be able to hold their country together or whether it will disintegrate along ethnic lines as most NATO forces withdraw by the end of this year.
