The Obama administration is downplaying a row over Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s latest criticism of the U.S.-led occupation. Over the weekend, Karzai urged the United States to “reduce military operations” and end night raids on Afghan homes. Speaking in Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said U.S. military operations are in Afghanistan’s “best interests.”

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton: “We remain very sensitive to the concerns, so there have been revisions in the tactical directives that recognize the sensitivity of conducting night operations, but we believe that these operations are in the best interests of the Afghan people, the Afghan government and the ISAF troops who are working with their Afghan counterparts to secure the country.”