Karzai Scares Obama With Russia

Russian President Putin meeting Afghanistan President Karzai in 2002

From RIA Novosti:

MOSCOW. (Pyotr Goncharov for RIA Novosti) - Russia may become a major factor in the presidential ambitions of the leading Afghan politicians during the country's presidential elections next summer.

Speaking to the graduates of the Kabul Military Academy, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said that if Americans did not speed up the implementation of the program to supply armed forces, this task would be carried out by other countries.

Last week, the press service of the Afghan President published Dmitry Medvedev's reply to Karzai. The Russian President expressed readiness to help the Afghan armed forces. An Afghan delegation consisting of high-level civil and military officials will visit Moscow in the near future. Expansion of bilateral military-technical cooperation will be the main subject of the talks.

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My Comment: This story is receiving zero coverage in the west, but Karzai is clearly looking at his options and the Russians are more than happy to provide them. Afghan President Karzai has lost confidence in President Obama and NATO. He has repeatedly voiced his frustrations on current U.S. policy, and is probably becoming more and more annoyed that the U.S. President and NATO are not listening.

His rapprochement with Russia should have been forseen, and Russia's actions should have been predicted. The closure of Manas Airforce Base in Kyrgyzstan as a result of Russian pressure on the leaders of Kyrgyzstan. The public declarations between the two countries. The joint criticism of U.S. and NATO strategy and tactics. There is a pattern.

We shoud not be surprised. President Karzai and others do not believe that President Obama is committed to the long term struggle in Afghanistan and on the war against terror. If anything, Presdient Karzai feels that current and future U.S. strategy is doomed to fail, and that he should positioned himself for when that day comes.

Well .... he is clearly positioning himself now.

And I do not blame him.