A US Senator who met last week with Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Monday she had "grave concerns" about his role as a US ally, citing widespread corruption in his strife-torn homeland.
"I have grave concerns about President Karzai as a long-term ally," Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said days after returning from a trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Gillibrand told reporters on a conference call that Karzai had taken positions "contrary to America's interests," citing criticisms of the Afghan leader on "rampant" corruption and the flourishing drug trade.
But the senator, who represents New York, said she remained "hopeful that we can work together" and brushed aside a question about whether Karzai seemed erratic, saying "I can't speak to what's in his head."
Karzai raised eyebrows in Washington by calling in a weekend interview for a reduction in night raids by US forces and a lighter US military footprint to pare down "intrusiveness" in daily Afghan life.
Gillibrand said Karzai "did express concerns about civilians" at a meeting on Wednesday but "did not make a direct request" regarding US troops levels or activities.
Share This Article With Planet Earth
