Afghan president questions US timeline for leaving

[Turborama]

Source: AP

KABUL, Afghanistan – President Hamid Karzai on Thursday criticized the U.S. plan to begin withdrawing troops starting next July and said the war on terror cannot succeed as long as the Taliban and their allies maintain sanctuaries in Pakistan.

Karzai's statements were made during a meeting with visiting U.S. congressmen and come at a time when the Obama administration is ratcheting up pressure on the Afghan leader to do more to stamp out corruption. The Afghan government maintains that the U.S. should be doing more on other fronts, including pressuring Pakistan to shut down the insurgent sanctuaries.

A statement by Karzai's office said the Afghan leader told the U.S. delegation that significant progress had been made in rebuilding the country after decades of war. But he said the campaign against the Taliban and al-Qaida had faltered because of ongoing civilian casualties during NATO military operations and a lack of focus on "destroying the terrorists' refuge" across the border.

Karzai also said President Barack Obama's announcement that he would begin withdrawing U.S. forces from Afghanistan in July 2011 has given "the enemy a morale boost" because they believe they can simply hold out until the Americans leave.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100827/ap_on_re_as/as_afghan_karzai

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This is continuously confusing. I thought http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36178710/"> he wanted to join the Taliban and these "sanctuaries" have been constantly droned? :shrug:

Also, Pakistan's army http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Swat">haven't just been sitting on their hands. They've lost thousands of men http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_North-West_Pakistan#Exaggeration_of_Taliban_Casualties">fighting the Taliban in the North West.

[global1]

1. Sounds Like Repug Talking Points To Me.......

is BushCo still pulling Karzai's strings?

[msongs]

2. translation - me and my friends have not scammed enuff $$ from America yet nt