Bush, Karzai Meet Amid Unrest

President Bush said Monday that U.S. troops in Afghanistan will remain under U.S. control despite Afghan President Hamid Karzai's request for more authority over them.

"Of course, our troops will respond to U.S. commanders," Mr. Bush said, with Karzai standing at his side at the White House. At the same time, Mr. Bush said the relationship between Washington and Kabul is "to cooperate and consult"

Mr. Bush also said that Afghan prisoners under U.S. control in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and elsewhere, would be slowly returned to their home countries.

"We will do this over time," he said. "We have to make sure the facilities are there."

Mr. Bush had high praise for Karzai as a valued anti-terror partner and credited the Afghan leader with "showing countries in the neighborhood what's possible."

But Karzai came to their meeting with a long list of grievances. Among them: more control over U.S. military operations, custody of Afghan prisoners held by the United States and more assistance in fighting opium trade.

As for the opium trade, Mr. Bush said, "I made it very clear to the president that we have got to work together to eradicate the poppy crop."

Karzai said that he hoped Afghanistan would be free of poppy crops within five to six years and that Afghan farmers could find alternative crops like honey dew melons and pomegranates.

There are about 20,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan, costing about $1 billion a month. That is in addition to approximately 8,200 troops from NATO countries in Kabul and elsewhere.Karzai commented on recent reports of abuse of Afghan prisoners by their American captors. "We are of course sad about that," he said, speaking in fluent English. But, he added, "It does not reflect on the American people."

Similarly, a report — later retracted — in Newsweek magazine earlier this month that alleged mistreatment of the Quran by American prison guards does not reflect American values, Karzai said.

While claiming the original report was not responsible journalism, Karzai said, "Newsweek's story is not America's story."

Saying that he himself had been to a mosque in Washington, Karzai noted that "tens of thousands of Muslims are going on a daily basis to mosques in America," without incident.

The two leaders addressed reporters in the East Room of the White House. They pledged to work more closely together amid continued instability and protests in Afghanistan.

"It's important for the Afghan people to understand we have a strategic vision for Afghanistan," Mr. Bush said.

He said the United States and Afghanistan had signed a "strategic partnership" that establishes "regular high-level exchanges on political security and economic interests — economic issues of mutual interest. "

"We will consult with Afghanistan if it perceives its territorial integrity, independence or security is at risk," Mr. Bush said.