Hamid Karzai, Afghanistan’s president who was recently sworn in for another five-year term after a contentious election rife with allegations of voter fraud, asked the U.S. for patience in interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour that will air later this afternoon. Several U.S. officials said on other news shows today that Karzai will have to shape up if he wants to retain their support.
In a video clip posted on CNN’s website, Karzai said he expects Afghan forces to begin taking over security operations in much of the country within two years, and the whole country within five.
“We want to have in Afghanistan in another two years the ability to lead operations and provide security for the Afghan people in many parts of the country,” he said.
By the end of five years term, of the current governmentt, we plan to lead operations for the security of the Afghan people in all of Afghanistan, in the whole country. That is our objective.
Here’s the video.
CNN also reports that Karzai asked the U.S. to have patience with Afghanistan.
The United States and its allies “must have patience” and “stay with us” if Afghanistan is not ready to assume security control by then, Karzai said.
On Face the Nation today, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton suggested that Karzai may be cast unfairly at times.
“The reality is, the Karzai government has been painted with too broad a brush,’ Gates said. “We have several ministries — Interior, Defense, Agriculture, Education, some others — where you have very competent, honest ministers who are doing a darn good job.”
And for parts of the Karzai government that aren’t honest and competent?
“There are certain ministries that American money will not be going to,” Clinton said. “We’re not going to just aid and abet bad behavior.”
On CNN’s State of the Union, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) said that Karzai “has to shape up.”
“President Karzai and the Afghan government has to do their share.”
Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) agreed with Feinstein on State of the Union.
Kyl called Karzai “charismatic,” “smart” and “capable” — but also said “there’s no question that there is corruption within his administration and, some assert, within his family.”
“He’s going to have to change his ways.”
Kyl continued:
What choice do we have but to work with him, watch him carefully, push him where we have to, support him when we can and try to work this together?
