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Karzai, McChrystal Meet Elders in Northern Afghanistan

   VOA News 11 April 2010

Photo: AP

   Afghan  President  Hamid  Karzai,  right,  talks  with  U.S.  and NATO
   commander  Gen. Stanley McChrystal and other NATO officers at the ISAF
   International   Security   Assistance  Force  headquarters  in  Kabul,
   Afghanistan, Saturday, April 10, 2010.

   Afghan  President Hamid Karzai and the head of U.S. and NATO troops in
   Afghanistan  have  made  another  public show of unity before expected
   military action against insurgents.
   Mr.  Karzai and General Stanley McChrystal met with hundreds of tribal
   elders  in northern Kunduz province, a region that has seen a surge in
   Taliban activity over the past year. Â
   Sunday's  meeting  was the third time in recent weeks the two men have
   presented  the  counter-insurgency  strategy  to  groups  of elders to
   emphasize the Afghan government's role in military efforts.
   The  United  States is deploying an additional 30,000 troops this year
   to battle the Taliban insurgency. Â
   Mr.  Karzai's  relations  with  his  Western allies have been strained
   recently  by his accusation that foreign powers orchestrated the fraud
   that tarnished last year's presidential election.
   Unity  between  the Afghan government and its international backers is
   seen as essential for the push against the Taliban.
   Both sides are trying to move on from the days of angry comments about
   the elections.

   Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.

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