It was a classic gaffe. Andrew Mitchell’s briefing notes have been photographed
outside Downing Street and, according to Sky, they say that the government “welcomes the fact that Hamid
Karzai is leaving office” in Afghanistan.
This is not altogether surprising. Karzai has already indicated that he will not seek a third term and is expected to stand down in 2014. While the usually fraught relations between NATO and Karzai have been deteriorated further as his administration continues in its corrupt ways. But Mitchell’s slip will probably intensify the speculation that the Western allies are already preparing for the post-Karzai and post-NATO era by talking to, among others, the Taliban. At the moment, though, there seems to be little beyond discussions about the possibility of talks.
NATO is more open about the Libyan campaign. Spokesmen have been speaking today of the rebels’ imminent attack on Gaddafi’s “last bastion” in Sirte.
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