Leaked US diplomatic cables depict the erosion in Afghan President Hamid Karzai's reputation among officials from the United States and other countries, dpa reported.
The cables show a gradual deterioration from the early days of Karzai's leadership, when he was praised following the collapse of the Taliban in 2001, to more recent concerns about corruption, ineffective government and a propensity to take anti-American or anti-Pakistani stances to deflect criticism of his own government.
The publication of US diplomatic cables obtained by WikiLeaks and provided to a handful of news organizations began this week. The US government has condemned the publication of the documents, which detail diplomatic communications and assessments of Karzai.
The cables show Oman's foreign minister "losing confidence" in Karzai, while a British diplomat said his country feels "deep frustration" with the Afghan leader, according to The New York Times. United Arab Emirates diplomat believes Afghanistan would be better off without him.
The United States has sought to maintain a partnership with Karzai even as it questions his ability to govern the country, the cables show.
"It remains to be seen whether Karzai can or will refrain from this 'blame America' tactic he uses to deflect criticism of his administration," Karl Eikenberry, who became ambassador to Afghanistan in April 2009, said in a July 2009 cable.
"Indeed, his inability to grasp the most rudimentary principles of state-building and his deep-seated insecurity as a leader combine to make any admission of fault unlikely, in turn confounding our best efforts to find in Karzai a responsible partner," Eikenberry wrote, according to The Times.
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