In an interview with Fareed Zakaria aired on CNN today, Afghan President Hamid Karzai lashed out at his critics in the US and Britain, saying he had expected “better judgment” from the Obama Administration and expressing hope that “as they settle down, and as they learn more, we’ll see better judgment.”
Karzai accused the US and British media of conducting a campaign of disinformation against his government to punish him for criticism of American policies, saying serious charges of corruption against his government or his family emerge “whenever there is a disagreement.” Though declaring “I don’t like to call it propaganda,” Karzai made it clear he feels that articles like last week’s New York Times article Leader of Afghanistan Finds Himself Hero No More were part of a deliberate campaign against him, adding “I know the reason.”
The Afghan president conceded that corruption was a serious issue in his government, though only “as much as any other third world country.” He pointed to the 30 years of nearly constant war in Afghanistan as a primary reason, and conceded that US forces “will not be able to leave soon.”