breathtaking audacity for United States officials to complain about opium: US waited almost two and a half years to heed Mr. Karzai's calls

The Poppies of Afghanistan - New York Times: "Published: May 27, 2005

It requires breathtaking audacity for United States officials to complain that efforts to curb opium poppy production in Afghanistan have been lagging because President Hamid Karzai "has been unwilling to assert strong leadership." Washington waited almost two and a half years to heed Mr. Karzai's calls for help on this problem.