Afghan President Karzai heads to Washington

Afghan President Hamid Karzai arrives in Washington today as part of a series of meetings this week that may determine his and his country’s future. Today, President Obama’s special envoy to the region, Richard Holbrooke, testifies on the administration’s plans for both Afghanistan and Pakistan. Tomorrow President Obama meets with Karzai along with Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari in talks to stabilize the volatile region. A lot is at stake for President Karzai. His visit comes amid reports of bombs being dropped in the Taliban-controlled region of the country and his selection of a controversial warlord as a vice-presidential running mate. While much is at stake for Afghanistan, there is a lot on the table for the U.S., too. Joining The Takeaway is Ambassador Robert Finn: he was America’s first Ambassador to Afghanistan after the fall of the Taliban in 2002. He currently has a dual appointment in Princeton’s Department of Near Eastern Studies and the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.