Hamid Karzai

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Afghans Demand Obama Write 'Contrite' Letter

In exchange, US troops who stay behind will be able to raid houses

(Newser) - The US has just about cinched a deal with Afghanistan regarding the US military presence in the country after next year's big withdrawal—and it hinges on President Obama writing a letter acknowledging US "mistakes" in the war, reports the Wall Street Journal . (The New York Times has...

How a US Raid Destroyed a Secret Afghan Alliance

NYT: Afghanistan was trying to team up with Pakistan Taliban

(Newser) - A few weeks ago, US Special Forces in Afghanistan got a tip and descended on a convoy en route to Kabul. In one car: senior Pakistan Taliban militant Latif Mehsud. The US confirmed his capture more than two weeks ago, but it's the basis of a meaty New York ...

Full Withdrawal From Afghanistan Grows More Likely

As US prepares to suspend failing negotiations

(Newser) - The US is getting nowhere in its negotiations with Afghanistan over the future of America's military presence in the country, rendering the prospect of a total troop withdrawal in 2014 ever more likely. Officials say they're getting ready to suspend talks unless there's a breakthrough in the...

Taliban Closes Qatar Office —Over Sign Brouhaha

Its flag didn't go over so well, either

(Newser) - The sign brouhaha continues. The Taliban's opening of a political office in Doha, Qatar, last month caused much gnashing of the teeth on the part of Afghanistan, all due to the placard outside of it, which established it as the "Political Office of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan....

'Frustrated' Obama May Yank All Troops in Afghanistan

Relations with Karzai going downhill fast, insiders say

(Newser) - President Obama is so sick of dealing with Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai that he is seriously considering bringing American military involvement in the country to a speedy and complete end, senior administration officials tell CNN and the New York Times . The "zero option" of leaving no American troops...

Taliban Attack Karzai Palace
 Taliban Attacks Karzai Palace  

Taliban Attacks Karzai Palace

All attackers killed in raid on most secure part of Kabul

(Newser) - Suicide attackers set up a car bomb and battled security forces outside Afghanistan's presidential palace early this morning after infiltrating one of the most secure areas of the capital. All the attackers were killed and one palace security guard was wounded, officials say. The palace is in a large...

Taliban: We'll Free Only US POW in Afghanistan If...

...it gets 5 Taliban operatives held at Gitmo in return

(Newser) - The Taliban says it's willing to free the only US prisoner of war in Afghanistan—if the US will hand over five top Taliban operatives held at Guantanamo Bay. Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl (who disappeared on June 30, 2009) "is, as far as I know, in good condition,...

Taliban Kills Americans Hours After Peace Office Opens

Karzai pulls out of security talks

(Newser) - Taliban insurgents aren't letting up the fight in Afghanistan despite the opening of an office for peace talks . Four American troops were killed in a rocket attack on a convoy near Bagram Air Base just hours after the Taliban office opened its doors in Qatar, the New York Times...

CIA Giving Karzai Sacks of 'Ghost Money': Report

It's said to have added up to tens of millions

(Newser) - While some American officials complain about corruption in Afghanistan, the CIA has been smoothing its relationship with President Hamid Karzai's government by dropping off suitcases, backpacks, and even plastic bags full of cash at his office every month, the New York Times finds. The payments—described as "ghost...

Pakistan Says Karzai Working With Taliban

As Afghanistan says Pakistan is useless in peace process

(Newser) - The rift between Pakistan and Afghanistan appears to be growing. Pakistani intelligence yesterday accused Hamid Karzai's administration of working with Taliban groups allied with Pakistan's main Taliban faction, Tehrik-e-Taliban. In testimony before Pakistan's Supreme Court, the ISI said elements from Afghanistan were providing "strong support" for...

US General to Troops: Karzai's Threatening Us

Afghan president's comments put military on alert

(Newser) - The US commander in Afghanistan put the troops on high alert yesterday, saying they were in extra danger after the latest salvo of anti-American rhetoric from Afghan president Hamid Karzai, including one that sounded like an outright threat, the New York Times reports. In a speech Tuesday, Karzai said that...

Hagel Meets Karzai After Threats, Friction

Pushes back against Karzai's US-Taliban comments

(Newser) - Chuck Hagel finally did meet privately with Afghan President Hamid Karzai yesterday before returning to Washington today, and despite the security concerns that initially canceled the meeting , Hagel told the press he and Karzai discussed key issues, the AP reports. "I think he understands where we are and where...

Threat Cancels Hagel-Karzai Press Conference

And not Karzai's statement that US, Taliban are colluding: Pentagon

(Newser) - A news conference with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Afghan President Hamid Karzai was cancelled because of a security threat, but the two men plan to meet privately. The cancellation comes a day after a suicide bomber on a bicycle struck outside the Afghan Defense Ministry, killing nine Afghan civilians...

Kabul Bank Honchos Punished for Fraud—Kind Of

Karzai brother conspicuously absent

(Newser) - An Afghan court convicted 21 people for their involvement in the Kabul Bank scandal today, a development that would have been nigh-unthinkable not long ago in the notoriously corrupt country, the New York Times reports. But independent observers say the sentences were surprisingly light given the severity of the fraud...

Karzai Boots US Special Forces From Restive Wardak

Gives special forces 2 weeks to get out

(Newser) - Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai says all US special forces must leave eastern Wardak province within two weeks because of allegations that Afghans working with them are torturing and abusing other Afghans. Presidential spokesman Aimal Faizi says today's decision was taken during a meeting of the National Security Council because...

In Cutting Airstrikes, Karzai Could 'Hamstring' Troops

Pakistan office bombing kills 5

(Newser) - Afghanistan's president wants his country's security forces to stop asking foreign troops to launch airstrikes in residential areas —and that could leave Hamid Karzai's forces floundering, the Los Angeles Times reports. The commander of US-led forces there maintains that "there are other ways we can...

Karzai Limits Foreign Airstrikes

Afghan leader says his troops can no longer request air support

(Newser) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai said today he will issue a decree banning Afghan security forces from asking international troops to carry out airstrikes under "any circumstances." The announcement came amid anger over a joint Afghan-NATO operation this week that Afghan officials said killed 10 civilians, including women and...

Obama to Announce Withdrawal of 34K Troops


 Obama to 
 Announce 
 Withdrawal of 
 34K Troops 
SOTU SOURCES SAY

Obama to Announce Withdrawal of 34K Troops

Accelerated drawdown to feature in State of the Union address

(Newser) - President Obama intends to pull about half of the US' remaining troops in Afghanistan out of the country within a year, and will announce the move at tonight's State of the Union address, two sources familiar with the address tell the AP . Obama agreed to accelerate the US exit...

Karzai Calls for Torture Investigation

But skeptics doubt it's a serious effort

(Newser) - Hamid Karzai has ordered an investigation into reports of torture at Afghanistan's prisons, in the wake of a UN report claiming that nearly a third of detainees NATO had transferred into Afghan custody had been abused or tortured. But the team Karzai appointed includes advisers from the interior ministry...

Hamid Karzai: US Is Giving Us a Drone Fleet

But division remains over Afghanistan troop withdrawal

(Newser) - In his first public comments since his visit to Washington, Afghan President Hamid Karzai announced yesterday that the US is giving Afghanistan a fleet of unarmed aerial spy drones, the New York Times reports. A pleased Karzai said his meetings with President Obama gave him most of what he wanted;...

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