Hamid Karzai is making some pretty unpleasant friends

This report from the Telegraph outlines the growing concern within NATO and ISAF about where Hamid Karzai's true allegiances lie.  That he and his regime are corrupt is manifest.  Unable to establish national authority beyond the confines of the Presidential Palace Karzai seems to be becoming a major impediment to our fight against terrorists and extremism (not to mention drugs).

The report is worrying as it hints at new covert alliances between Karzai's Afghanistan and Iran and China, something that the West can well do without.  In the short term such lack of commitment shown by Karzai must make us question whether it is worth the candle to continue the seemingly unwinnable war that is costing us many dead and wounded troops.  Should we not abandon the whole lot to their inevitable destiny?  But in the longer term we may need to remain engaged to deter the rise of another global division like the Cold War.  In either case the prospects are not encouraging.

Hamid Karzai is making some pretty unpleasant friends: "President Karzai's links to Iran and the Taliban are causing increasing concern, writes Con Coughlin."

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