US general fired from Afghan training job
The deputy commander in charge of training Afghan troops and police has been fired after making comments to the media harshly critical of Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Army Maj. Gen. Peter Fuller was relieved of command on Friday by Marine Gen. John R. Allen, commander of all U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan.
In an interview Thursday with POLITICO, Fuller said Afghan leaders were ungrateful for U.S. assistance and “isolated from reality." He also called Karazi's recent comments that Afghanistan would side with Pakistan if it went to war with the United States "erratic."
“You can teach a man how to fish, or you can give them a fish,” POLITICO quoted Fuller as saying. “We’re giving them fish while they’re learning, and they want more fish! [They say,] ‘I like swordfish, how come you’re giving me cod?’ Guess what? Cod’s on the menu today.”
On Friday, Allen denounced Fuller's remarks.
"These unfortunate comments are neither indicative of our current solid relationship with the government of Afghanistan, its leadership, or our joint commitment to prevail here in Afghanistan", Allen said in a statement. “The Afghan people are an honorable people, and comments such as these will not keep us from accomplishing our most critical and shared mission—bringing about a stable, peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan."
Read 'US general fired from Afghan training job' by the Associated Press.
