(KCEN) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says Afghanistan's president needs to thank America and our troops.
He says progress has been made in securing Afghanistan's sovereignty and that it's due to the men and women in uniform willing to fight.
The U.S. has lost 2,000 men and women while fighting in Afghanistan.
Panetta said, "I think it would be helpful if the President (Karzai) every once in a while expressed his thanks for the sacrifices that have been made by those who have fought and died for Afghanistan rather than criticizing them."
Panetta's comments come a day after Hamid Karzai accused the U.S. and NATO of attacking insurgents in Afghanistan.
