Hamid Karzai, the Pashtun commander who has been named leader of Afghanistan's interim government, warned the United States to never again "walk away from Afghanistan" and promised his country will be "a good friend, a trusted friend and an ally" in the fight against terrorism, the Washington Post reported in its Tuesday editions. Karzai issued his warning during an interview in Kandahar, the former citadel of Taliban power that fell Friday to his and other Pashtun militia groups backed by the CIA and U.S. Special Forces coordinating air support.
Speaking at his new headquarters, the sprawling former residence of Mohammad Omar, Karzai said he completely backs U.S. efforts to capture or kill members of Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network in Afghanistan. Bureau Report