Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld issued a blistering critique of the Obama administration for the deterioration of the United States's relationship with Afghanistan Monday on Fox News.
Rumsfeld squarely blamed the White House for failing to secure what should have been an easy status of forces agreement with Afghanistan.
"A trained ape could get a status of forces agreement. It does not take a genius," he said.
Moreover, Rumsfeld added America's inability to conduct proper diplomacy has isolated Karzai such that the Afghan president has felt the need to lash out against the Obama administration.
"I think that [Karzai] has tried to separate his harshness against the White House and the administration from the American people and the people that he appreciates that served in that country."
Full exchange:
GRETA VAN SUSTEREN: Is there sort of a way out of this? We are having this problem now where there is going to be an election soon. I guess that's the best option for the United States, that the United States gets someone who is friendlier?
RUMSFELD: He was friendly. Our relationship with Karzai and with Afghanistan was absolutely first rate in the Bush administration. It has gone downhill like a toboggan ever since the Obama administration came in. Now, take, for example, the fact that we have status of forces agreements, probably with 100, 125 countries in the world. This administration, the White House and the State Department have failed to get a status of forces agreement. A trained ape could get a status of forces agreement. It does not take a genius. We have so mismanaged that relationship. I think that he has tried to separate his harshness against the White House and the administration from the American people and the people that he appreciates that served in that country.
Full interview: