The relationship between the U.S. and Afghan President Hamid Karzai might well be described as an uneasy alliance. Since Karzai’s election in 2004, the two have engaged in a delicate dance, weighing caution and mistrust against mutual needs. In recent weeks, the Afghan president and U.S. officials have once again butted heads over how to approach negotiations with the Taliban, threatening the entire process. With the war in Afghanistan now in its 11th year, much is riding on the nation’s evolving leader. In the end, one thing seems certain: Karzai will either have proved a valuable asset or disastrous liability.