WikiLeaks Prompts Canada’s Afghan Ambassador To Tender Resignation

William Crosbie has told Ottawa that a soon-to-be-released diplomatic cable could make it impossible for him to carry out his duties.

It appears the latest WikiLeaks release has claimed its first Canadian casualty in William Crosbie, a man described as an efficient and influential diplomat in Afghanistan. Canada’s ambassador to Kabul since July 2009, Crosbie was recorded at a February 2010 meeting with U.S. officials heavily criticizing President Hamid Karzai and his brother for attempting to corrupt the elections process. He has now offered to resign if the cable about the meeting is made public, and also warned Ottawa that the WikiLeaks dump could have a disastrous effect on Afghanistan-NATO relations. Karzai, who is already mistrustful of the western governments propping up his regime, may become more confrontational as NATO’s internal criticisms are aired publicly.