Bush Looks to Assure, Yet Prod, Karzai

Afghan President Hamid Karzai arrived at Camp David yesterday, beginning a two-day visit in which he and President Bush were to discuss the deteriorating security and sporadic rule of law in Afghanistan.

Bush is looking to bolster Karzai but also to prod his government to exert and extend its authority. Karzai faces a multitude of troubles at home -- a hostage crisis, civilian killings, drug trafficking and a resurgent Taliban -- which he is likely to discuss with Bush.

Karzai was greeted by Bush and first lady Laura Bush, and he chatted briefly with a few of Bush's top aides, including Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates.

Afghanistan's fragility remains of paramount concern to the United States.

"Karzai wants to shore up his ties in Washington," said Teresita C. Schaffer, a former top State Department official for South Asia. "And I think the U.S. government very much wants to get a stronger sense of how we can develop a common political strategy."

Despite its progress since U.S.-led forces toppled the militant Taliban regime in 2001, Afghanistan is still dominated by poverty and lawlessness. Stability has been hindered by the lack of government order, particularly in the southern part of the country.

As U.S. and NATO forces target Taliban insurgents, the civilian deaths associated with the attacks have enraged the Afghan population and eroded Karzai's authority. He has repeatedly asked military commanders for more caution and lashed out at foreign forces aiding his nation.

Karzai is likely to seek some reassurance from Bush that "whatever the U.S. is doing is going to result in fewer civilians killed," said Schaffer, now the director of the South Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Militants often wear civilian dress and seek shelter in villagers' homes, making it hard to differentiate the enemy from the innocent. Bush "is absolutely satisfied" that the U.S. military is doing all it can to avoid civilian casualties, spokesman Scott Stanzel said.

On another front, Afghanistan now accounts for 95 percent of the world's production of poppies used to make heroin. Profits from the drug trade are aiding the Taliban.

Overshadowing the Bush-Karzai meeting is the fate of 21 South Korean volunteers who were abducted by the Taliban on July 19 and are now believed to be in central Afghanistan. The captors took 23 people hostage and have killed two of them.

The Taliban is seeking the release of prisoners; the Afghan government has refused -- and the United States adamantly opposes -- conceding to such demands. The crisis has put considerable pressure on Karzai and raised more doubts about his ability to enforce the rule of law.

Bush and Karzai are also likely to discuss Afghanistan's distrustful relationship with neighboring Pakistan. Karzai said the flow of foreign fighters from Pakistan into his country is a concern he will address soon with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

The two are expected to meet soon as part of a gathering of tribal elders in Kabul.