Karzai in America

Afghan President Hamid Karzai arrived in Washington D.C. on Monday, personally escorted from Kabul by ambassador to Afghanistan, Lt. Gen. Karl Eikenberry. The four day schedule includes luncheons, receptions and meetings with President Obama and his Administration. Why the red carpet treatment? The White House is trying the hospitable approach this visit because the “tough guy” attitude backfired last time, making Karzai resistant to negotiations.

Richard Fontaine, former foreign policy advisor to John McCain, says “Two things are happening. One, there wasn’t much payoff from the earlier approach. And, second, it’s sunk in after the Afghan elections last year that this is the guy who’s going to be here for four years and change so we better get along with him because we don’t have an alternative.”

The goal is to work with Karzai to root out corruption in Kandahar and other hot zones in Afghanistan. Some American officials suspect Karzai’s brother to be linked to drug dealers, insurgents, and voting fraud, so progress could be difficult. Administration officials say that they plan to give general support to Hamid Karzai’s efforts to reach out to the Taliban but there isn’t a detailed policy on the reconciliation.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, with whom Karzai has a positive rapport, is hosting a lavish reception on Tuesday. Karzai’s ministers will also attend, and meet their American counterparts. The objective is to call attention to the strategic partnership between the U.S. and Afghanistan, which runs deeper than Hamid Karzai.

“While the administration is in kiss-and-make-up mode the fundamental issues remain the same. We have not articulated what our endgame in Afghanistan is.” - Brian Katulis, Center for American Progress

Will this state visit improve U.S. relations with Karzai? Will Karzai be open to compromise? What type of assistance does Afghanistan want from the U.S.? Can making friends with Afghanistan end the war any faster?