Karzai characterized Iran as "a helper"

[Flabbergasted]

Bush and Karzai divided on Iran's role in Afghanistan
By Sheryl Gay Stolberg Published: August 7, 2007

CAMP DAVID, Maryland: President George W. Bush and President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, close allies in fighting terrorism, found much to agree on as they completed a two-day meeting here, with one major exception: the role of Iran in Afghanistan.

Karzai characterized Iran as "a helper" in a CNN interview broadcast Sunday. But when the two men greeted reporters here on Monday, Bush pointedly disagreed, saying, "I would be very cautious about whether the Iranian influence in Afghanistan is a positive force."

Iran has sent workers to Afghanistan to provide aid to villages, but American officials contend that Tehran is also funneling weapons into the country. Bush has long viewed Iran as a state sponsor of terrorism and is deeply suspicious of its nuclear ambitions, a view he reiterated Monday even as he expressed openness to Karzai's position.

"The president knows best about what's taking place in his country, and of course, I'm willing to listen," Bush said. "But from my perspective, the burden of proof is on the Iranian government to show us that they're a positive force."

It was a rare moment of daylight between the American and Afghan leaders. Bush has been trying to shore up Karzai, who faces a host of challenges, including a resurgent Taliban, a booming opium trade, government corruption and the threat of Al Qaeda. A recent national intelligence estimate concluded that the Qaeda network had reconstituted itself in the mountains along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border.

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/08/07/news/afghan.php