Obama wins Afghan, Pakistan vows to fight al Qaeda

"MY DEMOCRACY ... NEEDS NURTURING"

Karzai, whose office said earlier that he called the civilian deaths "unjustifiable and unacceptable," thanked Clinton for expressing concern and regret, saying he hoped all civilian casualties could be prevented.

U.S. officials have been frustrated with what they see as rampant corruption in Karzai's government, and Obama told his Afghan counterpart he wanted to see "concrete results" to stamp out graft, national security adviser Jim Jones told reporters.

Pakistan's Zardari, who has been under fierce criticism for his response to Taliban militants who have made inroads in the Swat and Buner valleys this year, pleaded for support for his fledgling democracy.

"My democracy needs attention and needs nurturing," Zardari said. "Pakistani democracy will deliver, the terrorists will be defeated by our joint struggle. Me, my friend President Karzai and the United States ... will stand shoulder to shoulder with the world to fight this cancer and this threat."

Many Pakistanis blame America for undermining democracy in their country for decades by supporting and funding its powerful military, but Clinton said U.S. support for the democratic government was "very, very firm."

She also asked for American understanding and patience for Zardari, just eight months into his new job.

"He inherited a very difficult and unmanageable situation," she said. "I think a little more understanding on our part about what he confronted -- you know, he has successfully navigated some real crises."

VILLAGERS MOURN

The Pakistani military said security forces attacked Taliban fighters in the Swat valley, killing at least 64 of them after the United States called on the government to show its commitment to fighting militancy.

In Afghanistan, villagers mourned relatives buried in mass graves following the bombing in Farah province.

People who survived the bombing of houses packed with terrified civilians told Reuters dozens from one extended family alone had died. They wept as they spoke of orphaned children and burying their loved ones' fragmented remains.

The air strikes, which lasted about an hour, killed 50 members of Sayed Azam's extended family, he said.

"There were Taliban in the area, and fierce fighting during the day but it ended when it was dark. People thought the fighting was over when suddenly bombings began."

(Additional reporting by Sharafuddin Sharafyar in HERAT and Washington bureau; Editing by Simon Denyer and Chris Wilson)