Secretary Rice Slams 'Washington Post' for Karzai Claim

By: E&P Staff In an article in The Washington Post today, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice disputed the newspaper?s claims that Afghan President Hamid Karzai is losing support both domestically and abroad.

Rice spoke to reporters on Monday before she commenced her trip to speak with leaders of Pakistan and Russia. Calling Karzai an "extraordinary leader," Rice went on to criticize Monday's Post article that used quotes from anonymous European and Western diplomats to demonstrate the increasing concern among those communities about Karzai?s abilities.

"Who are they?" Rice demanded in the article. "For whom do they speak? And what level do they speak? I have not heard this from my counterparts. [National Security Adviser] Steve Hadley doesn?t hear this from his counterparts. The president doesn?t hear this from his counterparts."

Rice stated emphatically in the Post that the United States would continue to "back [Karzai] fully."

"When he has problems, we are going to sit with him and we are going to find ways to resolve those problems."