Karzai to lawmakers: ‘I might join the Taliban’

Source: MSNBC/AP

Afghan leader made threat twice at closed-door meeting, witnesses say

KABUL - Afghan President Hamid Karzai threatened over the weekend to quit the political process and join the Taliban if he continued to come under outside pressure to reform, several members of parliament said Monday.

Karzai made the unusual statement at a closed-door meeting Saturday with selected lawmakers — just days after kicking up a diplomatic controversy with remarks alleging foreigners were behind fraud in last year's disputed elections.

Lawmakers dismissed the latest comment as hyperbole, but it will add to the impression the president — who relies on tens of thousands of U.S. and NATO forces to fight the insurgency and prop up his government — is growing increasingly erratic and unable to exert authority without attacking his foreign backers.

"He said that 'if I come under foreign pressure, I might join the Taliban'," said Farooq Marenai, who represents the eastern province of Nangarhar.

"He said rebelling would change to resistance," Marenai said — apparently suggesting that the militant movement would then be redefined as one of resistance against a foreign occupation rather than a rebellion against an elected government.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/36178710/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/

Says it all

things aren't so easy without President Cheney around, are they?

If the people we put in power don't welcome us then lets leave.

with regard to the propping-up of tinpot dictators. Case in point: Ngo Dinh Diem - first president of South Vietnam & US lackey who was assassinated in a coup that occurred with tacit approval (and possibly assistance) from the US government. If the US ambassador starts refusing to meet with him, Karzai had better consider where he wants to live in exile for the rest of his life.

Note: I do not support US complicity in the assassination of heads of state, but if the idea were to be tossed around in certain circles, I would understand.

Glad we went into Afghanistan? All those billions of dollars and thousands of lives spent to make doubly sure the Taliban will never be dislodged? And thanks to America's guns-first foreign policy, we don't have any permanent improvements to show for our efforts. The ever-changing, changeless landscape of Afghanistan will little notice nor long remember that once upon a time the American military was in this place. We are swiftly moving to the irrevocable point of an utter waste of time, talent and treasure.

was providing bin laden and his people a safe haven and they refused to turn them over after 9/11.
Our mistake is that we stayed to long.

This should never have been a military operation if our objective was to apprehend Osama bin Laden. Regardless of whether we got the cooperation of Afghanistan's government, there are many means at our disposal to bring one guy in that don't involve a full-scale military invasion of another country. Many of our problems stem from the previous administration's stubborn refusal to consider any alternatives to military intervention. The moment the first soldier's boot hit the ground in Afghanistan, we'd stayed too long.

their refusal to hand him over and their providing him and his people a base in this case military force was the only option, not of course that it worked especially after Bush stupidly decided to seek a war with Iraq but thats another story.
I agree we have stayed to long and its time to tell them, "hey we are outta here best of luck to ya but if ya ever give bin ladens people a base we wont hesitate to irradiate it."

:shrug:

and the Obama admin has given Karzai their blessing on this rhetoric knowing that he's viewed as a U.S. shill and has had difficulty in broadening his support within Afghanistan. If the strategy is to give the appearance of tensions, it could enhance his credibility domestically.

and fuzzy, knowing we're propping up this thug?

I'm holding my breath not.

locals.

Instead of sending more troops to Afghanistan, it's time to get them out of this nutcase's way.

Just as Chalabi was our boy in Iraq!

Meanwhile the body count keeps on ticking, and it seems that it matters not if a Republican or a Democrat is in the White House, the War on Terror (under a new name) will go on and on.

This is what happens when we invade another country, know nothing about the culture, and try to install a puppet government. The sooner we're out of Afghanistan the better...and frankly Iraq for that matter, a nation with a Shiite majority that will ultimately gain central power and turn against the U.S. We need to start focusing more on our domestic interests and stop pumping billions of dollars into another Vietnam!

Source: Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration voiced fresh concern on Monday about a series of critical statements that Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai has made about the West and America's role in his war-torn country.

White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said reports Karzai threatened in a private meeting with lawmakers to abandon the political process and join the Taliban insurgency if he continued to receive pressure from Western backers to reform his government are troubling.

"On behalf of the American people, we're frustrated with the remarks," Gibbs told reporters.

Karzai's comments are the latest in a string of statements by the Afghan leader that have concerned U.S. officials. On Thursday, Karzai lashed out against the U.N. and the international community, accusing them of perpetrating a "vast fraud" in last year's presidential polls as part of a conspiracy to deny him re-election or tarnish his victory, accusations the U.S. has denied.

"The substance of the remarks are obviously not true," Gibbs said.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iqyaFh_efr-brDq0rMLF1hkop0tgD9ET0AFO1

so he is bound to cause trouble.

unwanted babe

Tajiks are friendly to the West, they are not Islamic fanatics, they are usually far better educated and they are not sucked-in by Pakistani islamization.

Oxford educated Ahmadshah Masood ("Lion of Panjsher") ran Afghanistan before the Taliban and begged for US help against the Taliban. Pakistani ISI tricked the CIA and US into believing Taliban were good guys so we paid money to create a fundamentalist and fascist force for Pakistan's advantage and overthrew Ahmadshah Masood (who was later killed by Al Q'aeda a few days before 9/11)

As long as US policymakers listen to Pakistan, we are doomed.

Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, a Tajik and a surgeon, should be supported and all the pro-Pakistani forces disarmed/eliminated in order tor bring stability to Afghanistan.

I suggest to start by going to the RAWA website.

Karzai is going "Free Agent" and making business deals with China regarding the Afpak Pipeline.

While the Chinese make strategic business arrangments, The U.S. spends $Billions and chases it's tail out in the desert...

The trans-Afghan Pipeline will give China a tremendous Economic and Military advantage.

guy, reliable, would stay bought. No one could ever have anticipated the possibility of an Afghan leader suddenly switching sides. If only there was some soft of, I don't know, historical references or you know actual instances of this sort of thing in the past. I thought the Brits had a "special relationship" with the US, I guess that only goes so far.

jeeze.

Why are we still in Afghanistan?

After all, long ago it was "Mission Accomplished" for having restored the narcotics trade that the Taliban had put an end to: Which I think was the underlying reason for our invasion (not that I am cynical).

Let's get the fuck out of there. Fuck those taliban fuckers.