Many 'mistakes' in Afghanistan, envoy says

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- Kabul and Washington have made "mistakes" in their dealings with the controversial Aug. 20 presidential elections, a former ambassador said.

Zalmay Khalilzad, a former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan and Iraq, said in an interview with Foreign Policy magazine that Washington has not put its best foot forward in dealing with incumbent Afghan President Hamid Karzai.

"We have made mistakes in dealing with him," he said. "So much so that now it looks like we have very limited ability to do even the things we think are right for his own country."

The relationship between Kabul and Washington hit a snag in August following a dispute between Karzai and Richard Holbrooke, the U.S. special envoy to the region, over a possible runoff for the presidential contest.

Khalilzad said that despite the relationship with Washington, Karzai could not move his country forward without help from the United States.

"Karzai understands, I am sure, that he needs the United States," Khalilzad said. "Afghanistan cannot succeed without the United States."

His comments come against a backdrop of widespread alleged fraud in the Aug. 20 elections in Afghanistan. The Afghan election watchdog, the Electoral Complaints Commission, ordered a recount of roughly 10 percent of the vote following an earlier decision to invalidate tallies from more than 80 polling centers.

Unofficial results give Karzai the victory, though fraud allegations suggest a runoff is possible against his closest rival, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah.