US vows not to abandon Afghanistan

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (R) hosts Afghan President Hamid Karzai (L) for dinner with officials at Blair House in Washington, DC yesterday. The US and Afghan governments have never been more "aligned" despite recent public spats, the US ambassador to Kabul said May 10 after President Karzai arrived in Washington.Photo: AFP

The United States pledged yesterday not to abandon Afghanistan as the two countries began top-level talks after weeks of public spats between the White House and Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
The discussions, which include top diplomatic, defence, military and intelligence officials on both sides, aim to present a united front despite the acrimony involving Karzai's string of anti-Western comments and the sharp US response.
In the first public session of the talks held in an elegant State Department reception room, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Washington has a long-term commitment to Kabul and that the two sides could disagree without rupturing ties.
"As we look toward a responsible, orderly transition in the international combat mission in Afghanistan, we will not abandon the Afghan people," Hillary said, alluding to US plans to begin pulling out some troops by July 2011.
That goal has always seemed ambitious given the widening Taliban insurgency more than eight years after US forces invaded following the September 11 attacks in 2001.
Afghan officials have said they expected "frank" exchanges with President Barack Obama during a meeting on Wednesday when Karzai is likely to press him on civilian casualties that have undermined the presence of foreign forces in Afghanistan.
While there will be public handshakes and smiles in the Rose Garden, Obama is expected to deliver his own firm message that to sustain US support, Karzai must work harder to build up government capacity and deal with pervasive corruption.