Obama: Tensions with Karzai "Simply Overstated"
Updated 1:30 p.m. ET
President Obama acknowledged "setbacks" and tensions in the U.S. relationship with Afghanistan and its wartime leader Wednesday, but both he and Afghan President Hamid Karzai said concerns about the future of the partnership have been exaggerated.
"Obviously there are going to be tensions in such a complicated and difficult environment and in a situation in which, on the ground, both Afghans and Americans are making enormous sacrifices," Obama said.
Karzai said disagreements are normal nearly 10 years into a grinding war. Obama said he was confident he would be ale to meet his goal of beginning to withdraw U.S. forces in July 2011, with Afghan security forces beginning to take over the fight.
"There are moments when we speak frankly to each other, and that frankness will only contribute to the strength of the relationship," Karzai told a White House news conference.
Asked whether they discussed the tensions when they met, Obama said "a lot of them were simply overstated."
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During the news conference, Obama also emphasized that his plan to begin withdrawing U.S. forces from Afghanistan next summer remains on track, even though he added that the war will get worse before it gets better.
"What I've tried to emphasize is the fact that there is going to be some hard fighting over the next several months," Obama said. He spoke as the U.S.-led foreign army in Afghanistan gets ready for a push into the Taliban's birthplace in Kandahar Province. The campaign for Kandahar, which is to begin in earnest in June, is expected to be among the bloodiest of the nearly 9-year-old war.
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"There is no denying the progress," Obama said. "Nor, however, can we deny the very serious challenges still facing Afghanistan."
U.S. relations with Afghanistan have been under deep strain, and Wednesday's meeting at the White House was intended to help repair ties. The United States has criticized Karzai for tolerating corruption and drug trafficking, while Karzai has accused Washington of failing to give him the support he needs to govern.
Obama says there have been steady signs of progress since he increased the number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan late last year. But he said progress takes time and cautioned that the United States must commit to a long-term partnership with Afghanistan.
Questioned by an Afghan reporter, Obama said he sees a growing recognition among Pakistan's leaders that the extremist groups who are based there represent a "cancer in their midst."
Obama says Pakistani leaders are recognizing that the groups that are using Pakistan's frontier as a base are threatening Pakistan's sovereignty.
Obama said it will take time for Pakistan to assert control in border areas that have been "loosely governed" until now. He says Pakistani authorities are starting to do that, but that it is "not going to happen overnight."
He says U.S. and Afghan officials have been emphasizing to Pakistani leaders that the security of all three countries is "intertwined."
"There are moments when we speak frankly to each other, and that frankness will only contribute to the strength of the relationship," Karzai said.
Obama said the United States' main goal in Afghanistan remains to defeat the al Qaeda terror network and prevent it from again taking hold in the country from which the Sept. 11 attacks were planned. Karzai thanked Obama for expanding the war against insurgents trying to push him from power.
The two leaders pledged cooperation and respect after a turbulent period, although Obama alluded to at least one area where the two men may not agree. He said he looks forward to further discussion about how Karzai's government will reach out to militants for a possible political deal to end the war. Karzai wants America's blessing for faster outreach to militant leaders.
On the eve of a major military push into the Taliban home ground of Kandahar province, Obama said, "We are steadily making progress." He asserted that the U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan are beginning to "reverse the Taliban's momentum."
AP President Obama acknowledged "setbacks" and tensions in the U.S. relationship with Afghanistan and its wartime leader Wednesday, but both he and Afghan President Hamid Karzai said concerns about the future of the partnership have been exaggerated.
"Obviously there are going to be tensions in such a complicated and difficult environment and in a situation in which, on the ground, both Afghans and Americans are making enormous sacrifices," Obama said.
Karzai said disagreements are normal nearly 10 years into a grinding war. Obama said he was confident he would be ale to meet his goal of beginning to withdraw U.S. forces in July 2011, with Afghan security forces beginning to take over the fight.
"There are moments when we speak frankly to each other, and that frankness will only contribute to the strength of the relationship," Karzai told a White House news conference.
Asked whether they discussed the tensions when they met, Obama said "a lot of them were simply overstated."
Obama: I Am Accountable for Civilian Casualties
What Both Sides Want from Karzai's U.S. Visit
"60 Minutes": Clinton on Afghanistan and More Battalion
CBSNews.com Special Report: Afghanistan
During the news conference, Obama also emphasized that his plan to begin withdrawing U.S. forces from Afghanistan next summer remains on track, even though he added that the war will get worse before it gets better.
"What I've tried to emphasize is the fact that there is going to be some hard fighting over the next several months," Obama said. He spoke as the U.S.-led foreign army in Afghanistan gets ready for a push into the Taliban's birthplace in Kandahar Province. The campaign for Kandahar, which is to begin in earnest in June, is expected to be among the bloodiest of the nearly 9-year-old war.
Kandahar Offensive "Make-or-Break" for U.S.
Terry McCarthy's Reports Embedded With Marines
"There is no denying the progress," Obama said. "Nor, however, can we deny the very serious challenges still facing Afghanistan."
U.S. relations with Afghanistan have been under deep strain, and Wednesday's meeting at the White House was intended to help repair ties. The United States has criticized Karzai for tolerating corruption and drug trafficking, while Karzai has accused Washington of failing to give him the support he needs to govern.
Obama says there have been steady signs of progress since he increased the number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan late last year. But he said progress takes time and cautioned that the United States must commit to a long-term partnership with Afghanistan.
Questioned by an Afghan reporter, Obama said he sees a growing recognition among Pakistan's leaders that the extremist groups who are based there represent a "cancer in their midst."
Obama says Pakistani leaders are recognizing that the groups that are using Pakistan's frontier as a base are threatening Pakistan's sovereignty.
Obama said it will take time for Pakistan to assert control in border areas that have been "loosely governed" until now. He says Pakistani authorities are starting to do that, but that it is "not going to happen overnight."
He says U.S. and Afghan officials have been emphasizing to Pakistani leaders that the security of all three countries is "intertwined."
"There are moments when we speak frankly to each other, and that frankness will only contribute to the strength of the relationship," Karzai said.
Obama said the United States' main goal in Afghanistan remains to defeat the al Qaeda terror network and prevent it from again taking hold in the country from which the Sept. 11 attacks were planned. Karzai thanked Obama for expanding the war against insurgents trying to push him from power.
The two leaders pledged cooperation and respect after a turbulent period, although Obama alluded to at least one area where the two men may not agree. He said he looks forward to further discussion about how Karzai's government will reach out to militants for a possible political deal to end the war. Karzai wants America's blessing for faster outreach to militant leaders.
On the eve of a major military push into the Taliban home ground of Kandahar province, Obama said, "We are steadily making progress." He asserted that the U.S.-led forces in Afghanistan are beginning to "reverse the Taliban's momentum."
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How does this heroin trafficking mob boss expect anyone to take him seriously in that chincilla fur-trimmed McDonald's cook hat?
The 911 attack was mostly our own fault because we didn't heed the world's warning about securing our own airports.
_________________
Am I reading this correctly ? 9/11 was our mostly our fault because we didn't use some vague memo, to know to ban box cutters in the carry-on luggage of technicians ?
Did you think past that comment ? think about it, suppose we did stop them at the airport, that day.....did you think Al Qaeda terrorist network would just throw their arms up in the air and say, "you got me...now I can't commit any terrorism today, because you secured the airport".....that is so naive, it's criminal.
Wake up folks, the government cannot stop terrorism. All the TSA granny
Smith pat downs and "high tech" scaners will not stop another determined group of attackers. Cowboy up and save your own lives. Stop trading your hard won civil liberties for false promises of security.
Empire-George, you are clearly in a state of denial. Why is it that other countries that secured their airports haven't seen the kind of attacks that we experienced? The answer is so simple that everyone 10 years old or older can figure it out....the airports were secure and terrorists couldn't get through.
You can keep your naive and criminal uniform and wear it yourself. I travel internationally and speak more than one language. In some cases my airline tickets have a 101% tax on them to fund security upgrades that weren't popular 10 years ago - pre 911, because Americans were too cheap and whined easily.
If you don't guard your bank, your identity, your credit accounts, your car, your home, your airports, your children, then someone will attack or steal them from you. It's that simple.
I am a Marine Dad. I side with you and have no confidence in the Afghan's ability to resolve their socio-economic problems.
The 911 attack was mostly our own fault because we didn't heed the world's warning about securing our own airports.
Our children and spouses don't need to spill blood for people who could never come to our aid, if we needed them. It's been almost 10 years and it's time to come home and recover.
Military solutions for political problems never last.