Gibbs: White House 'frustrated' by Karzai remarks
The White House is "frustrated" by remarks from Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who on Sunday promised tribal leaders he would hold back a NATO military offensive in violence-plagued Kandahar province until he had their backing, a White House spokesman said Monday.
"We will not conduct the operations in Kandahar until you say we can," Karzai told about 1,000 tribal leaders at a shura, or conference, at the governor's compound in the southern province.
"The remarks are genuinely troubling," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters in an off-camera session.
New inquiry ordered in killing of Afghan civilians during raid
[UPDATE: 1:49 p.m. ET]: From Pentagon correspondent Barbara Starr:
The top U.S. commander in Afghanistan has ordered a second investigation into the deaths of three Afghan women and two men during a botched nighttime raid in February, after Afghan investigators said they found evidence of possible tampering with evidence at the compound where the Afghans were killed.
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who oversees all U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan, ordered the review after receiving a briefing from Afghan officials in late March, according to Lt. Col. Todd Breasseale, a NATO military spokesman. FULL POST
Triple bombing in Peshawar
Islamabad, Pakistan - A terrorist attack near the U.S. Consulate in Peshawar, Pakistan killed two consulate security guards and at least four others Monday, authorities said.
The blasts in the capital of the North West Frontier Province came hours after a suicide attack killed at least 30 people and wounded 50 others in another part of the province. The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for both attacks.
The North West Frontier Province is rife with Islamic extremists and has been the site of recent clashes between Pakistani security forces and militants.
Karzai seeks tribal support for military operation
Afghan President Hamid Karzai met with tribal leaders Sunday in the violence-plagued Kandahar province to shore up support for an impending military offensive. He promised to hold back until he had their backing.
"We will not conduct the operations in Kandahar until you say we can," Karzai told about 1,000 tribal leaders at a shura, or conference, at the governor's compound in the southern province.
Karzai, accompanied by the U.S. commander in Afghanistan, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, said he will see that similar gatherings are held throughout the region to gauge the opinion of the people. FULL POST
