The Telegraph: Hamid Karzai has lashed at Britain and the US for causing “a lot of loss of life” without bringing security in a sign of the deteriorating relationship between the Afghan president and the West. Six months before he steps down from office and a year before international forces end their combat mission, Mr Karzai gave a blistering interview attacking the 12-year Western war effort.
He also insisted that the rights of Afghan women would not be rolled back by an eventual peace deal with the Taliban, which could see the militant group given roles within government. Mr Karzai has headed the Afghan government since 2001 and in his final six months in office has stepped up his criticism of Nato operations.
He said Western troops had focused on securing Afghan villages, often causing civilian casualties, rather than trying to flush out Taliban bases in neighbouring Pakistan.President Barack Obama said over the weekend that the Western combat role would cease by the end of 2014 “no matter what”.It remains unclear whether the US and Afghanistan can reach an agreement on a residual Nato force for training and counter-terrorism
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