There may finally be an explanation why Afghani President Hamid Karzai has rejected all the recommendations from government officials to sign a new security deal with the United States and why he’s turned very anti-American in the last six months.

The New York Times reports that Karzai has been conducting secret talks with the Taliban to try and arrange a deal before he leaves office later this year.

Karzai has been refusing to sign a deal approved by tribal leaders that would leave some U.S. troops in the country past the end of 2014.  The troops would provide training to the Afghan army and help in counterterrorism efforts.

It’s likely those counterterrorism efforts are what Karzai wants to stop.

Karzai has reportedly been secretly working with the Taliban since November.  A spokesman for the president said that the talks are “very positive” and ongoing.

Karzai recently raised suspicious eyes from world leaders and observers after attempting to claim terrorist attacks by the Taliban were actually the work of the United States even after the Taliban claimed responsibility.