Obama, Ghani to begin a new chapter in U.S.-Afghan relations

When President Obama sits down with Ashraf Ghani — Afghanistan’s new president — on Tuesday, both sides are eager to begin a new chapter and turn the page on years of acrimony, suspicions and tensions that have plagued the relationship throughout Obama’s time in office.

Hamid Karzai, Ghani’s predecessor, was a constant thorn in Obama’s side, questioning U.S. military activity in the country and refusing to sign a bilateral agreement to keep a residual level of U.S. forces there — all the while taking millions of dollars from the U.S. government while failing to crack down on rampant corruption.