The US reacted with dismay on Sunday after the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, said that he would side with Pakistan in the event of any war with America.

Karzai's remarks will be greeted with outrage by an American public already thinking him ungrateful for US military and financial support.

In an interview on Geo Television, Pakistan's largest satellite network, hours after a visit to the region by the US secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, Karzai said: "If there is war between Pakistan and America, we will stand by Pakistan." He put his hand on his heart and described Pakistan as a "brother" country.