Karzai Wants More Control of U.S. Forces After Charges Of Abuse

Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Saturday that he was shocked by allegations that U.S. soldiers had abused detainees in Afghanistan. He said his government wanted custody of all Afghan prisoners and greater control over U.S. military operations.
A report in Friday's New York Times, which was based on 2,000 pages of evidence filed by U.S. Army investigators, included details about the deaths of two inmates at a U.S. military detention center in 2002.
"It has shocked me thoroughly and we condemn it," Karzai said at a news conference. "We want the U.S. government to take very, very strong action, to take away people like that."
Karzai, a staunch ally in the U.S.-led war against terrorism, left Saturday for the United States, where he plans to meet President Bush. Karzai wants to forge a long-term partnership with Washington, but he said he would reiterate a request for the return of Afghan prisoners and greater control over U.S. military operations. The United States commands an international force of about 18,300 troops in Afghanistan.