Petraeus meets with Karzai

Afghan President Hamid Karzai hosted new NATO Commander General David Petraeus at the Presidential Palace on Saturday. Corruption was one of the issues the two discussed, according to a statement issued by the presidential palace. Karzai used the meeting to complain about what he said were baseless allegations made by U.S. Rep. Nita Lowey, a Democrat from New York, who suggested that Afghan government officials had misused or pocketed donor funds, Karzai's office said. Karzai asked Petraeus to review international contracts for private security companies to help keep money from flowing out of the country. According to the statement, Petraeus told the president that he would begin his job by emphasizing unity, accountability and transparency. The general will formally assume command on Sunday. At the U.S. Embassy, he called for troops and civilian staff employees to work together, saying, In this important endeavor, cooperation is not optional. His predecessor, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, was fired last month for intemperate remarks made by him and his aides to Rolling Stone magazine about Obama administration officials, mostly on the civilian side.