Karzai threatens West - why the f*** are we there?

[Rob W 0]

In his speech, the president (Karzai) had spoken of "countries like Afghanistan, where there are more than 100,000 foreign troops, they [foreigners] also pursue their own interests… a very thin curtain distinguishes between co-operation and assistance with the invasion." He went on to warn of the possibility of "national resistance".

 

Mr Karzai said there was "no doubt there was massive fraud" in the Afghan presidential and provincial elections.He singled out Mr Galbraith - the then deputy head of the UN mission in Afghanistan - of feeding details to the international media in an attempt to blacken his name.

 

"This wasn't fraud by Afghans but the fraud of foreigners, the fraud of Galbraith, or [head of the EU's observers Philippe] Morillon, and the votes of the Afghan nation were in the control of an embassy."

 

 

And he's on our side (supposedly)

[Park Life 71]

In his speech, the president (Karzai) had spoken of "countries like Afghanistan, where there are more than 100,000 foreign troops, they [foreigners] also pursue their own interests… a very thin curtain distinguishes between co-operation and assistance with the invasion." He went on to warn of the possibility of "national resistance".

 

Mr Karzai said there was "no doubt there was massive fraud" in the Afghan presidential and provincial elections.He singled out Mr Galbraith - the then deputy head of the UN mission in Afghanistan - of feeding details to the international media in an attempt to blacken his name.

 

"This wasn't fraud by Afghans but the fraud of foreigners, the fraud of Galbraith, or [head of the EU's observers Philippe] Morillon, and the votes of the Afghan nation were in the control of an embassy."

 

 

And he's on our side (supposedly)

 

Think he's just woken upto the fact that we're no there to give them anything. ha ha...He was playing along (while nicking money himself), but I notice recently the axis powers have started getting a little tougher on him.

 

All good whichever way it cuts.

[Rob W 0]

I wonder where he'll run to as the last helicopter leaves the US Embassy???

[Park Life 71]

I wonder where he'll run to as the last helicopter leaves the US Embassy???

 

I'll give you one guess dear boy.

[Rob W 0]

Those lovely Swiss???

[Billy Castell 0]

I think Humid Karzee is just trying to appear tough on foreiners so the Taliban won't have another pop at him. Either way he's being an ungaretful shit. Funny how an ex-oil man hoisted into the position of President of his country is complaining about his puppet masters when they decide to get tougher on corruption.

[Park Life 71]

Those lovely Swiss???

 

It's the traditional way the Swiss make money.

[Park Life 71]

I think Humid Karzee is just trying to appear tough on foreiners so the Taliban won't have another pop at him. Either way he's being an ungaretful shit. Funny how an ex-oil man hoisted into the position of President of his country is complaining about his puppet masters when they decide to get tougher on corruption.

 

It's nearly game over so he's thinking about covering his ass..

[Happy Face 29]

A politician posturing himself according to public (anti-American) opinion? Surely not.

 

He's playing a blinder to tell the truth. It's not like the US can bomb the shit out of the country to get rid of a leadership they disapprove of, install their own guy and run a puppet regime.....not a second time anyway. Why would it work any better than it has with old Kahzy this time around?

[Happy Face 29]

The Americans are furious, his own supporters are incredulous and opposition politicians think that he is mad.

 

In three successive outbursts this month, President Karzai of Afghanistan has blamed foreigners for last year’s election fraud, accused Western troops of meddling in his country’s internal affairs and even threatened to join the Taleban.

 

Yesterday the Afghan leader suffered two key blows as the insurgents ridiculed his offer and, more seriously, the White House seemed ready to show a diplomatic cold shoulder.

 

Speaking of Mr Karzai’s planned visit to Washington on May 12, Robert Gibbs, President Obama’s official spokesman, said that the visit was still on, but added: “We certainly would evaluate whatever . . . further remarks President Karzai makes, as to whether it is constructive to have that meeting.”

 

Scoffing at the idea that the Afghan leader might join the insurgents, Zabiullah Mujahid, a Taleban spokesman, told The Times yesterday: “It’s just a game he is playing. He is trying to show people he is not under the control of the Americans but it’s completely false.

 

“If he really wants to join the Taleban, first he should face justice. He should face justice for bringing foreign troops to Afghanistan. He should face justice for all the crime which has happened during his rule in Afghanistan, and for the corruption and for what is going on now. Then we’ll decide whether we will join with him or not.”

 

It was at a closed meeting of Afghan parliamentarians in Kandahar on Saturday that the increasingly eccentric President — who is still smarting from a failed attempt to change election law — threatened to join the Taleban. He also said that the Taleban could be seen as a legitimate resistance movement. “If I come under foreign pressure, I might join the Taleban,” he told MPs.

 

The remarks came after the Afghan parliament voted down a presidential decree last week, which in effect would have neutered Afghanistan’s independent election watchdog. “It was against the constitution,” an MP said.

 

One parliamentarian at the meeting in Kandahar said that President Karzai claimed there was “a fine line between resistance and revolt. If I don’t get this decree passed, this revolt will turn into a resistance and I will join it.”

 

Afghan history has rarely favoured leaders who get too close to foreigners. Indeed, few prominent friends of the superpowers have died natural deaths over the past 170 years. Dr Najibullah, who ruled under the Russians, was castrated and lynched when Kabul fell to the Taleban in 1996. Even Mr Karzai’s supporters are worried that he might have gone too far. MPs who usually back him refused to speak publicly. One said anonymously: “We can’t stand by and allow one person to ruin our relationship with the world.”

 

White House officials have been quick to point to America’s sacrifice in blood and treasure in the hostile terrain of Afghanistan.

 

Haroun Mir, director of Afghanistan’s Centre for Research and Policy Studies, said: “Without the foreign troops \ wouldn’t last one minute here.”

 

Abdullah Abdullah, second in last August’s elections, said that Mr Karzai’s behaviour was causing concern. “I think he has lost it,” the former eye surgeon told The Times. “He has lost track of the situation, of what he does and what he says. He’s created a lot of confusion and he’s jeopardising our national interest. Anybody with a little shred of intelligence would know that this won’t help.”

 

The mood on the streets of Kabul was divided. Fatiullah Khan, 37, a teacher, said he hoped that Karzai’s outburst was a ploy to lure the Taleban into talks. Ahmed Fahim, 39, a shopkeeper, accused the President of surrendering to the insurgents, and Ahmad Jawad, 28, a politics student, said: “He is trying to distance himself from the foreigners, to get the trust of the Taleban. The Taleban have always said they don’t want foreigners, they’ll only enter peace talks when the foreign troops leave.”

 

Mr Karzai is no stranger to this kind of stand-off. In 2008 he accused British troops of making things worse in Helmand and sending Anglo-Afghan relations to a modern low. He blocked the appointment of Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon as head of the UN in Afghanistan. Last month he invited President Ahmadinejad of Iran to Kabul, where he lambasted America, after US officials revoked an invitation to Washington. That was extended a second time during Mr Obama’s recent visit. Officials maintain that it stands.

 

In his most recent outbursts, Mr Karzai blamed America, Britain, CNN, the BBC, The Times, The New York Times, the UN and EU election monitors for conspiring against him in last August’s ballot, when more than a million votes were thrown out because of fraud.

 

How the rhetoric has changed

Afghanistan was rescued from the grip of terrorism as a result of the vital co-operation of the international community. The helpful and timely assistance of the USA and the efforts of the UN in the fight against terrorism and the reconstruction of the country's devastated institutions are worthy of special mention

Inauguration speech, 2004

 

Thanks to the selfless sacrifices of [the international community’s] men and women and the determination and sacrifices of our own people, the journey of Afghanistan’s reconstruction is resolutely apace. Today our people are more educated, healthier, better off and more optimistic about their future

Speech to the UN, Sept 2008

 

There were irregularities. There must have also been fraud committed. But the election was good and fair and worthy of praise, not of scorn, which the election received from the international media. That makes me very unhappy. That rather makes me angry

Presidential elections, Oct 2009

 

Our friendship with the US has not been confined to the common war on terror. In addition, the relationship has been based on long-term interests of Afghanistan to achieve stability and prosperity for the people of the country.

Inauguration speech, Nov 2009

 

Foreigners will make excuses, they do not want us to have a parliamentary election . . . They want parliament to be weakened and battered, and for me to be an ineffective president

April 1, 2010

 

If I come under foreign pressure, I might join the Taleban

April 3, 2010

 

Afghanistan will be fixed when its people trust their President is independent . . . when the people trust the government is independent and not a puppet

April 4, 2010

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/worl...et=0&page=1