"Karzai urges public to back offensive" by Associated Press | April 5, 2010
KABUL, Afghanistan — President Hamid Karzai sought yesterday to rally public support for an upcoming military operation in the Taliban’s birthplace, promising that US and NATO troops will push into insurgent areas there only after consultations with community leaders....
US and NATO forces are preparing a campaign in Kandahar that will test President Obama’s gamble that tens of thousands more troops can turn the tide in the eight-year war.
If that's his gamble we have already lost.
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Then he says this the next day?
"Karzai taking a gamble with threat; US has no choice but to deal with the Afghan leader" by Robert H. Reid, Associated Press | April 6, 2010
KABUL, Afghanistan — President Hamid Karzai’s startling threat to join the Taliban if foreigners don’t stop meddling in Afghanistan and his strident criticism of the West’s role in his country have worsened relations with Washington at a time when the US military wants closer cooperation ahead of a crucial offensive this summer.
Also see: Pakistan Sabotaged Taliban Peace Talks
I can't imagine that helped relations.
Karzai, who has been fuming for months about what he considers Washington’s heavy hand, is gambling that blaming outsiders for the troubles in a society with a long tradition of resisting occupation will bolster his stature at home — while carrying little risk because the United States has no choice but to deal with the mercurial leader....
When they start dragging out those adjectives you know he he has fallen out of favor.
Related: Why Obama Went to Afghanistan
Yeah, that's why.
I hate to break it to you, but they already are.
“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 rebellion’’ against a legitimate Afghan government “would change to resistance’’ against foreign occupation....
Calls to two Karzai spokesmen went unanswered.
Karzai told CNN yesterday that he has no intention of breaking with Washington, which is pouring 30,000 more troops into the fight against the Taliban.
It's actually more, but....
“It’s just to make sure that we all understand as to where each one of us stands,’’ Karzai said. “Afghanistan is the home of Afghans and we own this place.’’
The lawmakers agreed that the threat to join the Taliban did not appear serious but reflected Karzai’s anger over US and international pressure on several issues, including electoral reform, combating corruption, and contacts with Taliban insurgents.
Those differences were sharpened by Obama’s unannounced visit to Kabul on March 28. In advance of the trip, Obama’s national security adviser, James Jones, told reporters that Karzai needed once and for all to confront corruption and “be seized with how important that is.’’ Karzai’s advisers found the public tongue-lashing humiliating — especially coming from a guest....
What absolute crapola.
Karzai also has been frustrated by the reluctance of the United States to endorse negotiations with the Taliban leadership.
Worse than that, MSM!!! C'mon, man!!!!
The Obama administration is keen to offer incentives to rank-and-file Taliban fighters to switch sides but believes negotiations with insurgent leaders are pointless as long as the insurgents believe they are winning.
Well, when you are you tend to believe that.
It's only losers that need to lie to themselves about wars, right, agenda-pushing MSM?
Karzai’s remarks have raised concern among some parliament members, who fear he may overplay his hand by undercutting public support in the United States for the war.
Can't undercut it by much more; WE WANT OUT, even if our damn government gets in further!
The friction comes as the United States and NATO prepare for what could be the war’s most decisive offensive — a major bid to drive the Taliban from Kandahar, the biggest city in the south, the insurgents’ spiritual birthplace and the Karzai family’s hometown....
Nine years in and now the moment of truth, pffffffttt!
Efforts to sideline ineffectual local leaders could put NATO in conflict with the interests of the Karzai family, including the president’s wheeler-dealer half brother, Ahmad Wali Karzai, who heads the local provincial council.
Who, the CIA contact with the Taliban?
Sigh.
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In order to get you from thinking about that, let's tell a tall MSM tale, 'eh?
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The only prisoner known to have died in the CIA’s network of secret prisons once rescued Hamid Karzai, wading through rocket and small-arms fire to take the wounded future president to safety in Pakistan, according to his brother and former associates.
The prisoner, Gul Rahman, died in the early hours of Nov. 20, 2002, after being shackled to a cold cement wall in a secret CIA prison in northern Kabul known as the Salt Pit, current and former US officials familiar with the case confirmed. His family is appealing to the International Red Cross to return his body.
How dare we criticize anyone for human rights abuses?
Rahman was captured about three weeks before his death during a raid in Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, against Hezb-e-Islami, an Afghan insurgent group led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, which was believed to have ties to Al Qaeda. Rahman was arrested along with Hekmatyar’s son-in-law, Dr. Ghairat Baheer.
Ah, yes, Hekmatyar, the CIA's ace-in-the-hole in Afghanistan.
I guess that is how they knew where to find Rahman.
Baheer, who was later released, was part of a Hezb-e-Islami delegation that came to Kabul last month to talk peace with Karzai. Rahman’s brief association with the future Afghan president, reported by his brother Habib Rahman, adds an ironic twist to the account of his death at the hands of the CIA and illustrates the complex history of the different Afghan factions still competing for power in this war-ravaged country.
I'm kind of tired of outrageous propaganda and excuses for war crimes, readers.
They tortured this guy to death!!!!
After Soviet forces withdrew in 1989, Afghanistan descended into civil war as the Islamic groups that ousted the Soviets fought each other for control of the capital, Kabul... Karzai has said little about his confinement except that he escaped when rockets struck the building where he was held and that he made his way to Pakistan. Karzai’s spokesman, Waheed Omar, would not comment, although he said the president was aware of a story identifying Rahman as the victim of the CIA secret prison. Further requests for comment over the past week have also gotten no response.
According to Habib Rahman, his brother, Gul, was sent to fetch Karzai by Hekmatyar, whose forces had long been suspected of firing the rockets at the building. Gul Rahman carried a letter from Hekmatyar to Karzai, saying he had been sent to rescue him at the request of Karzai’s father, the brother said. Habib Rahman said his brother took Karzai to a safe house in Kabul, then drove with him to the Pakistani city of Peshawar, where Karzai was hospitalized for two days. Although Karzai has not confirmed Rahman’s role, Hekmatyar spoke about it in an interview last year with the Afghan Pashto language website Benawa.com.
Hekmatyar complained that Karzai had promised to release those who helped him, saying, “Look, Gul Rahman is still not released, but Karzai is president.’’
The whereabouts of his body are unknown.
Sam Zarifi, who was part of a Human Rights Watch investigation into the rocket attacks of the early 1990s, said he believed the version Gul Rahman’s brother provided was “an utterly plausible story.’’
“How Karzai got out of Kabul and through the front lines to Peshawar was always mysterious to us,’’ said Zarifi, who now works for Amnesty International.
“We always just wondered as to how he did that. That was the question for us: Unless he had high level contact, how did he get through these front lines?’’
Well, the U.S. did select him to run the country after invading!
This stinks of what we call a cock and bull story, readers!
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"27 Taliban reported killed in western Afghan fighting; In south, four civilians die in NATO air attack" by Amir Shah, Associated Press | April 7, 2010
KABUL — Washington on Monday voiced new concerns over recent statements Karzai questioning the nature of their alliance....
Rising political tensions between Karzai and Washington in recent days have begun to overshadow efforts to push back against the Taliban ahead of the expected drive into the insurgency’s southern heartland of Kandahar.
In a speech to Afghan lawmakers over the weekend, Karzai threatened to join the Taliban if foreigners don’t stop meddling in Afghanistan.
I thought no one was taking him seriously.
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Some are, anyway:
"Karzai’s fit is Taliban’s gain
AFGHAN PRESIDENT Hamid Karzai is playing into the hands of the Taliban....
As US and NATO forces prepare for a crucial offensive against the Taliban’s stronghold in Kandahar, Karzai’s erratic behavior adds difficulties for an already daunting mission....
The mistrust between Karzai and his American protectors began with his egregious cheating in last August’s presidential election.
What, the fraud we don't care about? Pfft!
This fraud haunts the counter-insurgency strategy of US and NATO forces. For that strategy to work, Afghans must be convinced they are better off under the current government than under Taliban rule.
How could that even be considered after all we have been sold, 'er, told, America?
Instead, they have a president of dubious legitimacy presiding over officials who, in some cases, profiteer from the heroin trade, development projects, shady real estate deals, and a cut from nearly all truck traffic.
I get this of this kind of editorial garbage.
Karzai invited Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to Kabul, where he gave a speech accusing the United States of promoting terrorism.
Yeah, that is what rang alarm bells in Washington.
Of course, Ahmadinejad is right; "Al-CIA-Duh" sees to that.
Shortly afterward, Obama flew into Kabul for a dinner meeting with Karzai and some cabinet ministers, trying to rehabilitate the anti-Taliban alliance between Washington and Kabul.
And keep him from getting closer to China.
That intervention didn’t work well.
ANOTHER failed AmeriKan intervention!!
When the two presidents next meet May 12 at the White House, Obama must pound home the message that America has no designs on Afghanistan except to prevent a Taliban takeover, that Karzai’s contribution must be to clean out his administration, and that he depends more on US-NATO forces than they depend on him.
I would be HIRING MY OWN SECURITY and WATCHING MY BACK from now on, Karzai. Better get a food-taster, too.
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He changed his tune again:
KABUL -- President Hamid Karzai's spokesman gave assurances Wednesday that the Afghanistan's government is committed to the fight against the Taliban, denying published reports the Afghan leader threatened to join the insurgents unless the U.S. and its allies ease up on pressure to reform....
Karzai was quoted by numerous members of parliament as saying in a meeting Saturday that he would join the Taliban insurgency if the U.S. and its allies continued pressuring him....
The White House was already infuriated with Karzai....
Karzai's comments fueled questions whether the temperamental leader could be a reliable partner in the escalating war against the Taliban.
The hatchets are still out; he can no longer be trusted. Just by threatening such a thing he has proved his unreliability.
NATO reported another service member was killed Wednesday by insurgents in southern Afghanistan, the ninth foreign death this month. No further details were released.
I didn't ask for any, did I?
The Taliban threat, though not taken seriously, prompted a warning Tuesday from the White House that it would consider canceling Karzai's May 12 visit to Washington.
I'd beat them to the punch and say I can't make it.
During his weekly media briefing Wednesday, presidential spokesman Waheed Omar sought to make light of the firestorm surrounding the Taliban remarks, saying he was surprised to see them in print and had no idea where they had come from.
"That was, I think, a funny thing in the media, and we really, we were shocked to see such kind of comment in the media," Omar said....
I no longer am because I recognize what a newspaper is now.
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And so did the Glob:
Pffft!!
That is the "update?"
