Washington (CNN) -- Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton declared the Afghan leader's visit to the United States this week a success, saying on Thursday that it had helped strengthen the partnership between Washington and Kabul at a critical point in the war against Taliban and al Qaeda extremists. They also stressed that President Obama's July 2011 deadline to start withdrawing U.S. forces from Afghanistan did not represent a weakening of America's commitment to the war-torn Islamic republic. The two leaders spoke at the U.S. Institute of Peace in Washington -- part of what became a week of playing down tensions between U.S. and Afghan officials.
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NEW: Clinton says expected Kandahar offensive is not "D-Day"
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NEW: Karzai says issue of his brother has been resolved with United States
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Karzai visits graves of U.S. soldiers at Arlington Cemetery
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Meetings this week have tried to play down tensions between Washington and Kabul
Clinton
"They don't pose a threat," @placeholder said of the Taliban presence in the province.
Taliban
"They don't pose a threat," Clinton said of the @placeholder presence in the province.
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Washington
Washington
Washington
Karzai acknowledged there had been a misunderstanding among the Afghan people about the operation, which was clarified this week during his talks in @placeholder.
United States
U.S.
America
U.S.
United States
U.S.
Karzai has repeatedly expressed thanks this week to the @placeholder people for the sacrifices they have made in his country.
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Afghan
Afghanistan
Afghan
"We are not suddenly, as of July 2011, finished with @placeholder."
Kandahar
He further aggravated his most powerful ally when he told tribal leaders that the U.S.-led military alliance would not move against Taliban fighters in @placeholder "until you say we can."
Hamid Karzai
Karzai
Karzai
But "our job is to be a good friend and to be frank with President @placeholder."
Hamid Karzai
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Karzai
@placeholder's role, in turn, is partly to ensure Afghan sovereignty is respected, he said.