Hamid Karzai expresses ‘extreme anger’ at U.S. government

Afghan President Hamid Karzai said the United States hardly kept his nation’s best interests in mind during the 12 years of war in the country.

The United States was much more concerned “for the U.S. security and for the Western interest,” Mr. Karzai said in an interview with The Washington Post, adding that he felt “extreme anger” toward the U.S. government for perceived betrayals by U.S. forces who pursued Taliban insurgencies in Pakistan more than in villages in Afghanistan.

“Afghans died in a war that’s not ours,” he said.

Mr. Karzai, who leaves office in a few weeks, has left the signing of any long-term security agreement with the Obama administration to the incoming Afghan president.

“It’s good for them to sign it with my successor,” Mr. Karzai told The Post. He also said it’s up to the United States to begin peace talks with Taliban militants to pave the way for a security deal.

Currently, there are more than 52,000 NATO troops in Afghanistan, 33,600 of whom are American.