(Karzai said that he has no power to stop U.S. bombers. How true is that?) In Afghanistan the government does not have control in many operations going on in the country. (But can’t Karzai at least renegotiate the terms under which U.S. forces operate in the country?) I think he will not ask them to leave because international forces are needed and welcomed by the majority in the country. But a larger degree of cooperation with the Afghan government is needed. (Karzai has hinted the possibility of negotiations with Al Qaeda and today he said he would even give sanctuary to top Al Qaeda leaders if they gave themselves up and agreed to abide by the Afghan constitution. How wise do you consider that stance?) All insurgencies should end through negotiations. The Afghan government is in the position to get a better deal from negotiations. (Can Obama trust Karzai to be an effective partner in this war?) I think there needs to be a unified policy and it’s not an issue of one side versus the other. (Do you think Karzai is the man?) The Afghans are the ones to decide this. Karzai does not need my vote, he needs the votes of the majority of the people of Afghanistan.
The World is an independent newsroom. We’re not funded by billionaires; instead, we rely on readers and listeners like you. As a listener, you’re a crucial part of our team and our global community. Your support is vital to running our nonprofit newsroom, and we can’t do this work without you. Will you support The World with a gift today? Donations made between now and Dec. 31 will be matched 1:1. Thanks for investing in our work!