When asked about the 17,000 extra troops the United States will be sending to Afghanistan this year as part of President Obama’s long-touted “surge,” Afghan President Hamid Karzai declared that while the soldiers were welcome to protect the borders and try to provide better security they were, in his estimation, “seven years too late.”

“We kept requesting. It didn’t happen. I wish these troops have arrived at that time,” the Afghan president said in an interview on NewsHour, adding that he had been requesting more troops since 2002.

Karzai also embraced reports that President Obama is soon to come out with a new regional strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Karzai said he hoped “it will be one that will go with the reality on the ground,” and said it was his desire to see more effort go into strengthening the Afghan government’s police and military forces.

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