Karzai's attack on Petraeus puts in doubt US exit strategy

[n2doc]

By Kim Sengupta and Julius Cavendish in Kabul
Tuesday, 16 November 2010

The crucial endgame of the ferocious Afghan war, the most difficult foreign policy crisis currently facing the West, is due to be laid out later this week with plans to withdraw combat forces by the end of 2014.

But the exit strategy, due to be unveiled at the Nato summit in Lisbon, is being overshadowed by strident criticism from Hamid Karzai, the Afghan President, of how the US-led coalition is conducting the war. Mr Karzai said that the presence of a vast number of foreign troops in his country was alienating the population and buttressing the Taliban.

President Karzai's attack has led to bitter resentment among Western officials while, at the same time, attracted attention to the intrinsic contradictions in Nato's Afghan strategy. The Afghan leader is accused of undermining the very forces which are keeping his government – viewed as mired in corruption by the international community – in power at a time when the soldiers have suffered their highest losses of the war in a month.

General David Petraeus, the US commander of Nato forces whose strategy is the target of Mr Karzai's accusations, is "astonished and disappointed" and is said to be even feeling that the situation may make his position "untenable". His resignation would be seen as a crippling blow to a mission in which Barack Obama sacked the two previous commanders, General Stanley McChrystal and General David McKiernan.

more

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/karzais-attack-on-petraeus-puts-in-doubt-us-exit-strategy-2135014.html

[de novo]

1. This would be hilarious if people weren't losing their lives. Endgame?

Fucking please. If 2014 is when they are looking for the 'endgame', forget it. That is no endgame. That is 4 more fucking years. And after that, we'll have new excuses and reasons to stay (see Pakistan). What a fucking joke. War without end, amen.

[Bigmack]

2. What you said ... X 100 ....! nt

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

3. "Bad Puppet!!" "Spank Puppet!!"