Bush Rebuffs Karzai's Request on Troops

[maddezmom]

WASHINGTON - 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," Bush said, with Karzai standing at his side at the White House. At the same time, Bush said the relationship between Washington and Kabul is "to cooperate and consult"

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."

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."

~snip~
more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050523/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_afghanistan/nc:693

[Avalux]

1. Karzai wants control in his country -

not a wise move in Bushco world. Wonder how long before he's gone???

[eridani]

15. He should have thought about that--

--when he decided to push the former King out of the running during the Loya Jirga. He's reaping what he sowed.

[ugarte]

2. Who does Karzai think he is?

To bite the hand of his master?

[rodeodance]

8. Karzai does not control his country except for kabal--

[bemildred]

3. Karzai should resign and dissolve his government. nt

[Renew Deal]

4. In the neighborhood?

He's such a fool, but you already knew that.

[Solly Mack]

5. So Bush is building prisons in Afghanistan to hold the "detainees"

from Gitmo? Is that what we are to gather from this comment?

"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."

Karzai isn't going to give up his position of prestige and power (such as it is), so he's just posturing for the people...nothing more.

Karzai isn't so stupid that he thought his request would be taken seriously (regarding who controls American troops)...so more posturing....and it gave Shrub a chance to give right wingers the warm fuzzies... a "No US troop under UN control" kind of thing (remember that mantra?)

Karzai is stupid if he ever thought he would be an equal partner to the Bush Cabal...

[leftchick]

6. Does he ALWAYS have to look like a fucking JackAss?

[Gloria]

7. Didn't anyone teach Bush how to sit without his crotch being

front and center all the time??

[clydefrand]

11. Is Karzai always cold???????? What does his "cloak"

represent? That he's president?

[leftchick]

13. I think it means he is a fan

of Star Wars.

[Rick Myers]

9. Just shut up and do what you're told, Hamid!!!

:grr:

[maxrandb]

10. Doesn't Karzai Know

that "All of your bases are belong to us"?

[Javaman]

12. Translation: speak when you are spoken to.

So Karzai the puppet is trying to look tough, huh? All bullshit.

Just like the morons in Iraq, Karzai has to try and put on a tough face and talk the talk if he's going to live for another year.

This is about saving his hide and not winding up on the wrong end of a gun.

To bad it all means nothing. If and that's a big "if" moron* wants to truly find bin laden, it will be only then that he will help the king of kabul.

Otherwise, this is more rhetoric.

[UpInArms]

14. So I guess that means that *Co has declared Afghanistan a

"sovereign nation".

How many countries does the US own now?

(edited to add another article and link)

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/politics/11719990.htm

excerpt:

At nearly every step, though, the Afghan president, elected last fall, appears to be walking a fine line as he tries to the thwart the perception back home that he's little more than a "puppet" of the United States.

"I would disagree with that strongly," said White House press secretary Scott McClellan, answering a reporter's question about the "puppet" perception.

Karzai is a "strong leader committed to building a better future for the Afghan people," McClellan said.

Still, Pletka said, at some point, Karzai must "become his own person." And one way for him to do that was to press the nettlesome issues during his White House meetings.

"He's got to answer to Afghans," she said, "not Americans."

...more...

:rofl: That McClellan is such a comedian! :rofl: