Sparks fly as US puts awkward questions to Karzai
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Hamid Karzai has had a frosty meeting with Barack Obama's Afghan envoy, Richard Holbrooke, over a second round run-off in the presidential election and the deals that the incumbent President struck with warlords, according to Afghan and Western sources. The talks between Mr Holbrooke and Mr Karzai are said to have lasted lass than 30 minutes, while Mr Holbrooke's meeting with the rival presidential candidate, Abdullah Abdullah, reportedly went on for almost three hours.
Senior Afghan officials said Mr Karzai was convinced by his campaign team that he had won a resounding victory in the first ballot and resented Mr Holbrooke raising "more than once" the possibility of a second round run-off to settle the election. Mr Holbrooke is also said to have irritated Mr Karzai by wanting to discuss his electoral tactics, including gathering support from figures such as the Uzbek militia commander Abdul Rashid Dostum, who is accused of committing war crimes against the Taliban in 2001.
The incumbent President is said to have felt he should not have to give reassurances to a foreign official that he would accept the outcome of an election in his own country.
President Obama's administration has taken a deliberately tougher stance with Mr Karzai than that adopted by the White House under George Bush.
Senior figures in Washington have repeatedly made comments that were critical of the alleged corruption and lack of governance in Afghanistan under the President's rule.
Mr Karzai and his officials, on the other hand, are said to be increasingly resentful of what they consider to be the patronising approaches of both the US and British governments.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments