KABUL, Afghanistan, June 28 (UPI) -- Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, who is fighting to regain public support, got strong backing from visiting U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
Rice, who made a quick trip to Afghanistan after her Pakistan visit, said she didn't "know of anyone more admired in the international community" than Karzai, reports The Washington Post.
Karzai has seen his support dwindle in the face of rising insurgency, drug trade and corruption.
Rice held discussions Wednesday with top Afghan officials on issues including reconstruction projects designed to boost public morale, the report said. Assuring of continued U.S. support, she said, "We are not going to tire, we are not going to leave."
While in neighboring Pakistan, Rice sought to patch relations between the two Muslim nations which have been souring over Afghanistan's claims that Pakistan is allowing its largely lawless border areas to shelter insurgents who are attacking Afghanistan. Pakistan has consistently denied these charges and claims several of its soldiers have been killed in recent months fighting these insurgents.
