CBS News Washington Bureau Chief Chris Isham says Afghan President Hamid's threat that he would join the Taliban if Western powers continued to meddle in his country's affairs "struck a lightning bolt through Washington."
"To have the key partner in [the war on terror in Afghanistan] make comments that are really bizarre, accusing us of fraudulently hijacking the election, saying that he might join the Taliban -- the enemy that we are there fighting against...obviously struck the White House as troubling," Isham told moderator Sharyl Attkisson on "Washington Unplugged" Thursday.
White House correspondent Mark Knoller said that while White House and State Department spokesmen have called the comments disturbing, "White House officials really don't know what Karzai is up to."
"It certainly appears that Karzai's remarks are meant for domestic distribution" within Afghanistan, Knoller said.
"This in large part does look like a response in large part to President Obama's trip," Isham agreed.
Watch the full roundtable on Karzai as well as an update on the West Virginia mine collapse tragedy and a book review of veteran war correspondent Hugh Pope's "Dining with Al-Qaeda."
Unplugged: Karzai's "Lightning Bolt" Comments
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CBS News Washington Bureau Chief Chris Isham says Afghan President Hamid's threat that he would join the Taliban if Western powers continued to meddle in his country's affairs "struck a lightning bolt through Washington."
"To have the key partner in [the war on terror in Afghanistan] make comments that are really bizarre, accusing us of fraudulently hijacking the election, saying that he might join the Taliban -- the enemy that we are there fighting against...obviously struck the White House as troubling," Isham told moderator Sharyl Attkisson on "Washington Unplugged" Thursday.
White House correspondent Mark Knoller said that while White House and State Department spokesmen have called the comments disturbing, "White House officials really don't know what Karzai is up to."
"It certainly appears that Karzai's remarks are meant for domestic distribution" within Afghanistan, Knoller said.
"This in large part does look like a response in large part to President Obama's trip," Isham agreed.
Watch the full roundtable on Karzai as well as an update on the West Virginia mine collapse tragedy and a book review of veteran war correspondent Hugh Pope's "Dining with Al-Qaeda."