Meeting Karzai in Kandahar

I was among a small group of foreign journalists who interviewed Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Dec. 12 in the southern city of Kandahar. The interview took place in the governor's guesthouse palace; security was tight. Earlier in the day as a press conference began, Karzai looked directly at me and, seeing a new face, said, "Oh! Who are you working with? Where are you from? Thailand? Nice place." Friendly guy.