( CNN ) -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai is meeting this week with President Obama in Washington amid increasing ambivalence in the United States about what to do about the war in Afghanistan . Americans are tired of the war . Too much blood and treasure has been spent . The White House is grappling with troop numbers for 2013 and with the nature and scope of any U.S. mission after 2014 . With the persisting corruption and poor governance of the Afghan government and Karzai 's fear that the United States is preparing to abandon him , the relationship between Kabul and Washington has steadily deteriorated . As the United States radically reduces its mission in Afghanistan , it will leave behind a stalled and perilous security situation and a likely severe economic downturn . Many Afghans expect a collapse into civil war , and few see their political system as legitimate . Karzai and Obama face thorny issues such as the stalled negotiations with the Taliban . Recently , Kabul has persuaded Pakistan to release some Taliban prisoners to jump-start the negotiations , relegating the United States to the back seat . Much to the displeasure of the International Security Assistance Force , the Afghan government also plans to release several hundred Taliban-linked prisoners , although any real momentum in the negotiations is yet to take place . U.S. may remove all triips from Afghanistan after 2014 . Washington needs to be careful that negotiations are structured in a way that enhances Afghanistan 's stability and is not merely a fig leaf for U.S. and NATO troop departure . Countering terrorism will be an important U.S. interest after 2014 . The Taliban may have soured on al Qaeda , but fully breaking with the terror group is not in the Taliban 's best interest . If negotiations give the insurgents de facto control of parts of the country , the Taliban will at best play it both ways : with the jihadists and with the United States . Negotiations of a status-of-forces agreement after 2014 will also be on the table between Karzai and Obama . Immunity of U.S. soldiers from Afghan prosecution and control over detainees previously have been major sticking points , and any Afghan release of Taliban-linked prisoners will complicate that discussion . Karzai has seemed determined to secure commitments from Washington to deliver military enablers until Afghan support forces have built up . The Afghan National Security Forces have improved but can not function without international enablers -- in areas such as air support , medevac , intelligence and logistical assets and maintenance -- for several years to come . But Washington has signaled that it is contemplating very small troop levels after 2014 , as low as 3,000 . CNN reports that withdrawing all troops might even be considered . Everyone is hedging their bets in light of the transition uncertainties and the real possibility of a major security meltdown after 2014 . Afghan army commanders are leaking intelligence and weapons to insurgents ; Afghan families are sending one son to join the army , one to the Taliban and one to the local warlord 's militia . With Afghan president 's visit , nations ' post-2014 future takes shape . Patronage networks pervade the Afghan forces , and a crucial question is whether they can avoid splintering along ethnic and patronage lines after 2014 . If security forces do fall apart , the chances of Taliban control of large portions of the country and a civil war are much greater . Obama can use the summit to announce concrete measures -- such as providing enablers -- to demonstrate U.S. commitment to heading off a security meltdown . The United States and international security forces also need to strongly focus on countering the rifts within the Afghan army . Assisting the Afghan army after 2014 is important . But even with better security , it is doubtful that Afghanistan can be stable without improvements in its government . Afghanistan 's political system is preoccupied with the 2014 elections . Corruption , serious crime , land theft and other usurpation of resources , nepotism , a lack of rule of law and exclusionary patronage networks afflict governance . Afghans crave accountability and justice and resent the current mafia-like rule . Whether the 2014 elections will usher in better leaders or trigger violent conflict is another huge question mark . Emphasizing good governance , not sacrificing it to short-term military expediencies by embracing thuggish government officials , is as important as leaving Afghanistan in a measured and unrushed way -- one that does n't jeopardize the fledgling institutional and security capacity that the country has managed to build up . U.S. likely to keep thousands of troops in Afghanistan after NATO forces leave . Karzai has been deaf and blind to the reality that reducing corruption , improving governance and allowing for a more pluralistic political system are essential for Afghanistan 's stability . His visit provides an opportunity to deliver the message again -- and strongly . The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Vanda Felbab-Brown .
Afghan President Obama meeting with President Obama in U.S. this week . Felbab-Brown : jihadists politics are corrupt ; army not ready for 2014 troop pullout . She says The Afghan National Security Forces , insurgents , splintered army , corrupt officials are all jockeying for power . Washington needs to commit to helping Afghan security , she says , and insist corruption be wiped out .