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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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Obama Calls for New Afghan Chapter

Karzai congratulated, told to clean up his government

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(Newser) – President Obama congratulated Hamid Karzai on his "messy" election victory yesterday while warning him that it was time to clean up corruption in his government. "I emphasized that this has to be a point in time in which we begin to write a new chapter," said Obama, describing a phone call with the Afghan president. The White House stressed that Karzai now has legal legitimacy but still needs to earn credibility, reports AP.

Obama said he told Karzai—declared the winner of the presidential election after challenger Abdullah Abdullah withdrew from a run-off vote—that he expected to see greater progress in training Afghan forces to take charge of the nation's security. "The proof is not going to be in words," Obama told Karzai. "It's going to be in deeds."

Afghan President Hamid Karzai speaks during a press conference at the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, today.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai speaks during a press conference at the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, today.   (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)
President Barack Obama, accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, makes a statement in the Grand Foyer of the White House earlier this year.
President Barack Obama, accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, makes a statement in the Grand Foyer of the White House earlier this year.   (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
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Deebles
Nov 3, 09 3:37 AM CST
I think that the proof is in money. So, if we are going to buy them all off anyway and let them run the opium through Iran, Russia and Pakistan like before then why are we having a war there? Just me, wanting to know. Sorry. Reply
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RogerMohajir
Nov 3, 09 6:23 AM CST
We will find that it is about as easy to "clean up corruption" in the Afghan government as it is to eliminate the influence of special interests from ours. Whether its heroin and AK-47s or pharmaceuticals and aeronautics, it's "pay to play," there and here. Reply
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northeast
Nov 3, 09 8:13 AM CST
Congratulations you rigged the election then had your only rival drop out! The seeds of democracy flourish! Reply
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PriorGuess
Nov 3, 09 11:07 AM CST
Why do we think that "war lords" are any different than our "lobbyists/power brokers"? Reply
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PriorGuess
Nov 3, 09 11:08 AM CST
How about instead of fighting war with more war - we fight war with education, engineers and infrastructure support? War begets war...stability breeds stability. Reply
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