Karl Eikenberry news stories on Newser

Suicide Bomber Kills Afghan Deputy Guv

Polly Davis Doig — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 12:25:47 CST

A suicide bomber on an explosives-laden motorbike rammed the car of Kandahar's deputy governor today as he was on his way to work, killing him and wounding three of his bodyguards. The Taliban have claimed responsibility, reports the AP, but the Los Angeles Times notes that Abdul Latif Ashna's slaying...

Karzai Waxed Poetic About 'Golden Age' of Bush

Polly Davis Doig — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 07:48:51 CST

The White House doesn't bring Hamid Karzai flowers anymore, and the Afghan president is caught in a diplomatic cable waxing poetically over "the golden age" of US-Afghan relations under George W Bush. The cable was sent by Ambassador Karl Eikenberry last year after a meeting with Karzai, reports the Huffington...

Karzai Diagnosed as 'Manic Depressive'

Rob Quinn — Thu, 23 Sep 2010 01:40:00 CDT

Afghan President Hamid Karzai's wild mood swings that have often tested the patience of his international backers could be the result of manic depression, according to Bob Woodward's new book on the Afghan war. US intelligence reports found that Karzai has been diagnosed with the condition and is taking medication...

McChrystal's a Bonehead

Kevin Spak — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 11:49:40 CDT

Stanley McChrystal’s Rolling Stone stunner has pundits baffled—no one can understand how he let this happen. Here’s what they’re saying: Joe Klein of Time defends the “McChrystal I know” as “an extraordinary man” who, unfortunately, has no PR skills and is “incapable of fudging the truth.” He’ll have to...

McChrystal Trashes White House in R olling Stone

Rob Quinn — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 05:59:57 CDT

America's top commander in Afghanistan has apologized for a Rolling Stone profile that depicts him as a "lone wolf" at odds with the Obama administration and his own troops. In the profile—which hits newsstands Friday—Gen. Stanley McChrystal says he felt "betrayed" by US ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry...

Clinton Makes Surprise Afghan Visit

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:40:35 CST

Hillary Clinton made an unexpected appearance in Afghanistan today to attend the inauguration of President Hamid Karzai and meet with Gen. Stanley McChrystal. It's Clinton's first trip to Afghanistan since becoming secretary of state. Clinton called the visit "a specific opportunity for everyone to take stock of where we are...

Obama Rejects Afghan War Options

Jane Yager — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 07:45:09 CST

President Obama refused to accept any of the Afghanistan war options presented to him in yesterday's 2 1/2 hour strategy meeting, the AP reports, as concerns soar over the leadership of Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the ability of a corrupt Afghan government to eventually secure its own country. Obama...

US Ambassador Disagrees on Afghan Troop Surge

Will McCahill — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:49:38 CST

The US ambassador to Afghanistan—a former general who served there as recently as 2007—is against increasing troop levels until the Afghan government gets its act together. In classified cables ahead of President Obama’s deliberations on a surge, Karl Eikenberry cites rampant corruption and mismanagement in Hamid Karzai’s administration....