Karzai: I'll send troops to Pakistan

[IceCold]

The Scouts are a bum force!

They have let Pakistan DOWN!

I'm sure they have

 

[muse]

From today's DAWN



Karzai is telling half-truth

By Jehangir Khattak

PRESIDENT Hamid Karzai must have seriously tested the patience of the Pakistani leadership when he stated that Afghan forces will invade Pakistan in hot pursuit of the Taliban.

Without dissecting the competence and capacity of Mr Karzai to make good on his bellicose statement, one is compelled to think not about the contents, but reasons behind his statement. When Karzai claims that militants are crossing over into Afghanistan and fighting the Afghan and coalition forces, he is telling the truth, but only half the truth.

Gen Daniel McNeill, the American general who commanded Nato forces in Afghanistan till recently, came closer to the whole truth when he spoke in Washington last week: “There’s no Pakistani miscreant behind every tree in Afghanistan. It’s simply not so.” Gen McNeill’s honesty is a rare element in western capitals these days. The norm is to heap blame on others to escape embarrassment to oneself.

Karzai’s dilemma is that if he tells the whole truth, he could fall out of favour with his western benefactors. His anti-Pakistan rhetoric thus has internal dynamics as well. American media has been flooded with reports in recent weeks indicating an increasing US uneasiness with Karzai’s performance. Karzai’s reality check came at the recent donors’ conference in Paris where he was pressed to control corruption that has seeped deep into his administration. He has been accused of failing to arrest warlords and drug barons. Under his watch, Afghanistan has emerged as the world’s opium capital, producing 92 per cent of the global output. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) says it produces $4bn worth of opium, or 53 per cent of its gross domestic product, making it the most lucrative industry. Western nations, particularly the US, are increasingly becoming frustrated with Karzai’s soft peddling on drug lords. Many powerful drug barons and warlords are said to be bribing his administration to escape justice.

In addition, Karzai has shown incompetence in controlling corruption, uniting a divided country, and giving it a firm direction. His many failures have made him hugely unpopular amongst 34 million Afghans. His statements based on half-truths indicate a scramble to win some respect as he plans to run for re-election next year. Whenever Karzai speaks against Pakistan, his favourite punching bag, one can hear a failing leader who needs some pedestal to give him a boost.

Perhaps Karzai may have to contest against another powerful Pashtun Afghan of American shades, Zalmay Khalilzad. The current US ambassador to the UN and once an undeclared American viceroy of Afghanistan, Khalilzad, as he considers the possibility of becoming the future resident of Gulkhana, the Afghan presidential palace, has been testing the political pulse of the Afghans. Many Afghans already view Karzai as a US puppet. Khalilzad might stand a chance because of his track record as an effective administrator, a tough taskmaster, and someone who could be as influential in Afghanistan as in Washington — a win-win situation for Afghanistan as a country.

Only the external dynamics of Mr Karzai’s allegations hold some ground. Even President Pervez Musharraf has acknowledged the presence of foreign militants in Pakistan’s tribal areas and cross-border attacks many times. The Pakistani Taliban have frequently named the suicide bombers sent across the Durand Line. The talk of rogue elements within the Pakistani military supporting the Taliban is no longer unfamiliar. Frustration in Washington and elsewhere has been increasing over Pakistan’s ‘less-than-acceptable’ action against militants. From President Bush to ‘unnamed’ administration officials, all are speaking the same language — safe havens for Taliban and Al Qaeda in Fata.

Pakistani diplomacy, true to its tradition, has failed yet again to convince its supporters in the West that all its actions are aimed at securing not only Pakistan but also Afghanistan. The Pakistani establishment has failed to come up with a unified strategy to allay the concerns being voiced by Hamid Karzai on his behalf or on behalf of his foreign backers. Pakistan has done little to put its house in order, when it comes to dealing with Afghanistan. And when the political leadership, mainly the Awami National Party, decided to mobilise the Pushtoons’ traditional jirga (tribal assembly) to curb violence, it received general acceptance. However, the foreign office failed yet again to sell the idea to the West — cornering the bad guys by signing peace deals with the good guys. As a result, the West remains sceptical, critical, and now increasingly impatient.

The use of rhetoric from Pakistan and Afghanistan cannot wish away the challenges both countries face. They cannot avoid each other, and non-cooperation between them cannot be an option. They have to effectively work together to bring peace. A stronger, more stable Afghanistan is in the best interests of Pakistan.

Afghanistan ranks second in Brookings Institution’s Index of State Weakness in the Developing World. Pakistan ranks thirty third in this index of 141 weak and failing states. While the index may not be completely reliable, it is still a powerful tool for analysing a state’s ability to perform in four key areas: the state’s ability to ensure sustained economic growth; maintenance of legitimate, transparent and accountable political institutions; saving its population from conflicts; and securing its territory and meeting the basic needs of its population.

It seems more serious than ridiculous when the world’s second weakest state accuses the thirty third weakest country of destabilising it. Afghanistan could be the biggest threat to Pakistan’s security. Reason: Islamabad cannot save itself from the spillover effect of Afghan instability, as is already being witnessed. Thus, Pakistan has a greater responsibility in helping Afghanistan to stabilise. This situation puts the greatest responsibility on the key interlocutor in the region — the United States. Washington has to strike a delicate balance in dealing with the two countries.

Too much arm-twisting of a nuclear armed and relatively stable Pakistan could accelerate the spillover of Afghan instability. US planners have to understand that a stable Pakistan is the only hope for stabilising Afghanistan. Thus it needs to encourage the two countries to work in harmony. Pakistan should be allowed a chance to try its home-grown strategy for dealing with a phenomenon that was never seen before in this region. Collaboration, cooperation, and mutual trust are the only avenues to success for both countries.

One of America’s greatest presidents, Theodore Roosevelt once said: “Great thoughts speak only to thoughtful minds, but great actions speak to all mankind.” The world is expecting not just great thoughts from the two countries but resolute action in the right direction.

The writer is a US-based journalist.

mjehangir@aol.com

 

[Dynamic_Dynasty]

wah ji wah Karzai got enough importance to have a 17 pages thread here.
LOL

he aint sh** don't bother.

 

[Neo]

Karzai is telling half-truth​

PRESIDENT Hamid Karzai must have seriously tested the patience of the Pakistani leadership when he stated that Afghan forces will invade Pakistan in hot pursuit of the Taliban.

Without dissecting the competence and capacity of Mr Karzai to make good on his bellicose statement, one is compelled to think not about the contents, but reasons behind his statement. When Karzai claims that militants are crossing over into Afghanistan and fighting the Afghan and coalition forces, he is telling the truth, but only half the truth.

Gen Daniel McNeill, the American general who commanded Nato forces in Afghanistan till recently, came closer to the whole truth when he spoke in Washington last week: “There’s no Pakistani miscreant behind every tree in Afghanistan. It’s simply not so.” Gen McNeill’s honesty is a rare element in western capitals these days. The norm is to heap blame on others to escape embarrassment to oneself.

Karzai’s dilemma is that if he tells the whole truth, he could fall out of favour with his western benefactors. His anti-Pakistan rhetoric thus has internal dynamics as well. American media has been flooded with reports in recent weeks indicating an increasing US uneasiness with Karzai’s performance. Karzai’s reality check came at the recent donors’ conference in Paris where he was pressed to control corruption that has seeped deep into his administration. He has been accused of failing to arrest warlords and drug barons. Under his watch, Afghanistan has emerged as the world’s opium capital, producing 92 per cent of the global output. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) says it produces $4bn worth of opium, or 53 per cent of its gross domestic product, making it the most lucrative industry. Western nations, particularly the US, are increasingly becoming frustrated with Karzai’s soft peddling on drug lords. Many powerful drug barons and warlords are said to be bribing his administration to escape justice.

In addition, Karzai has shown incompetence in controlling corruption, uniting a divided country, and giving it a firm direction. His many failures have made him hugely unpopular amongst 34 million Afghans. His statements based on half-truths indicate a scramble to win some respect as he plans to run for re-election next year. Whenever Karzai speaks against Pakistan, his favourite punching bag, one can hear a failing leader who needs some pedestal to give him a boost.

Perhaps Karzai may have to contest against another powerful Pashtun Afghan of American shades, Zalmay Khalilzad. The current US ambassador to the UN and once an undeclared American viceroy of Afghanistan, Khalilzad, as he considers the possibility of becoming the future resident of Gulkhana, the Afghan presidential palace, has been testing the political pulse of the Afghans. Many Afghans already view Karzai as a US puppet. Khalilzad might stand a chance because of his track record as an effective administrator, a tough taskmaster, and someone who could be as influential in Afghanistan as in Washington — a win-win situation for Afghanistan as a country.

Only the external dynamics of Mr Karzai’s allegations hold some ground. Even President Pervez Musharraf has acknowledged the presence of foreign militants in Pakistan’s tribal areas and cross-border attacks many times. The Pakistani Taliban have frequently named the suicide bombers sent across the Durand Line. The talk of rogue elements within the Pakistani military supporting the Taliban is no longer unfamiliar. Frustration in Washington and elsewhere has been increasing over Pakistan’s ‘less-than-acceptable’ action against militants. From President Bush to ‘unnamed’ administration officials, all are speaking the same language — safe havens for Taliban and Al Qaeda in Fata.

Pakistani diplomacy, true to its tradition, has failed yet again to convince its supporters in the West that all its actions are aimed at securing not only Pakistan but also Afghanistan. The Pakistani establishment has failed to come up with a unified strategy to allay the concerns being voiced by Hamid Karzai on his behalf or on behalf of his foreign backers. Pakistan has done little to put its house in order, when it comes to dealing with Afghanistan. And when the political leadership, mainly the Awami National Party, decided to mobilise the Pushtoons’ traditional jirga (tribal assembly) to curb violence, it received general acceptance. However, the foreign office failed yet again to sell the idea to the West — cornering the bad guys by signing peace deals with the good guys. As a result, the West remains sceptical, critical, and now increasingly impatient.

The use of rhetoric from Pakistan and Afghanistan cannot wish away the challenges both countries face. They cannot avoid each other, and non-cooperation between them cannot be an option. They have to effectively work together to bring peace. A stronger, more stable Afghanistan is in the best interests of Pakistan.

Afghanistan ranks second in Brookings Institution’s Index of State Weakness in the Developing World. Pakistan ranks thirty third in this index of 141 weak and failing states. While the index may not be completely reliable, it is still a powerful tool for analysing a state’s ability to perform in four key areas: the state’s ability to ensure sustained economic growth; maintenance of legitimate, transparent and accountable political institutions; saving its population from conflicts; and securing its territory and meeting the basic needs of its population.

It seems more serious than ridiculous when the world’s second weakest state accuses the thirty third weakest country of destabilising it. Afghanistan could be the biggest threat to Pakistan’s security. Reason: Islamabad cannot save itself from the spillover effect of Afghan instability, as is already being witnessed. Thus, Pakistan has a greater responsibility in helping Afghanistan to stabilise. This situation puts the greatest responsibility on the key interlocutor in the region — the United States. Washington has to strike a delicate balance in dealing with the two countries.

Too much arm-twisting of a nuclear armed and relatively stable Pakistan could accelerate the spillover of Afghan instability. US planners have to understand that a stable Pakistan is the only hope for stabilising Afghanistan. Thus it needs to encourage the two countries to work in harmony. Pakistan should be allowed a chance to try its home-grown strategy for dealing with a phenomenon that was never seen before in this region. Collaboration, cooperation, and mutual trust are the only avenues to success for both countries.

One of America’s greatest presidents, Theodore Roosevelt once said: “Great thoughts speak only to thoughtful minds, but great actions speak to all mankind.” The world is expecting not just great thoughts from the two countries but resolute action in the right direction.

The writer is a US-based journalist.

DAWN - Editorial; June 26, 2008

 

[maqsad]

A few interesting and famous facts about Karzai, yes indeed this guy has been around the block in his time for sure:

Hamid Karzai - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hamid Karzai, an ethnic Pashtun of the Popalzai clan of the Durrani tribe, was born in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

From 1979 to 1983, Karzai took a postgraduate course in political science at Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla(Wow can we see some RAW influence here too?)

Karzai was a member of the Mujahideen and took active part in driving the Soviets out of Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion in the 1980s.

Karzai was a top contact for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

He had close personal contact with CIA Director William Casey and George H. W. Bush, who was Vice President of the United States.

Karzai's brothers immigrated to the U.S.

He lived in exile in Quetta, in Pakistan where he worked to reinstate the Afghan king, Zahir Shah.

In 2004 he rejected a US proposal to end poppy production in Afghanistan through aerial spraying of chemical herbicides, fearing that it would harm the economic situation of his countrymen.(his brother maybe?)

Moreover, Karzai's younger brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai, who partially helped finance Karzai's presidential campaign, is rumored to be involved in the drug trade.

Other contributing factors to his win may have included his endorsement by US President George W. Bush's administration, the use of US Army transport during his election campaign, the brief one-month campaign season

In a January 2008 interview, Karzai expressed his feelings towards America by stating: "if I am called a puppet because we are grateful to America, then let that be my nickname."

In October of 2007, Karzai rejected Western accusations against Iran, stating, "We have resisted the negative propaganda launched by foreign states against the Islamic Republic and we stress that aliens' propaganda should not leave a negative impact on the consolidated ties between the two great nations of Iran and Afghanistan." "The two Iranian and Afghan nations are close to each other due to their bonds and commonalities, they belong to the same house and they will live alongside each other for good."

Karzai has been the talk of many conspiracy theories over his supposed consultant work for the infamous Union Oil Company of California aka Unocal a now defunct oil company.

Honorary British Knight (Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George) in June 2003.

On July 4, 2004, Karzai was awarded the Philadelphia Liberty Medal in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

On May 22, 2005, received an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Boston University

On May 25, 2005, received an honorary degree from the Center for Afghan Studies at the University of Nebraska — Omaha

On September 25, 2006, received an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Georgetown University

.

 

[Flintlock]

Lets look at this another way:

Hamid Karzai, an ethnic Pashtun of the Popalzai clan of the Durrani tribe, was born in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

From 1979 to 1983, Karzai took a postgraduate course in political science at Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla)(So, spying for the ISI and CIA eh?)

Karzai was a member of the Mujahideen and took active part in driving the Soviets out of Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion in the 1980s. (Obviously, that means the ISI was helping him)

Karzai was a top contact for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)(That means he was RAW's enemy no. 1 during the 70s)

He had close personal contact with CIA Director William Casey and George H. W. Bush, who was Vice President of the United States.(Aha!)

Karzai's brothers immigrated to the U.S.

He lived in exile in Quetta, in Pakistan where he worked to reinstate the Afghan king, Zahir Shah.(....and undoubtedly worked closely with ISI to help achieve his purpose)

In 2004 he rejected a US proposal to end poppy production in Afghanistan through aerial spraying of chemical herbicides, fearing that it would harm the economic situation of his countrymen.

Moreover, Karzai's younger brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai, who partially helped finance Karzai's presidential campaign, is rumored to be involved in the drug trade.

Other contributing factors to his win may have included his endorsement by US President George W. Bush's administration, the use of US Army transport during his election campaign, the brief one-month campaign season

In a January 2008 interview, Karzai expressed his feelings towards America by stating: "if I am called a puppet because we are grateful to America, then let that be my nickname."

In October of 2007, Karzai rejected Western accusations against Iran, stating, "We have resisted the negative propaganda launched by foreign states against the Islamic Republic and we stress that aliens' propaganda should not leave a negative impact on the consolidated ties between the two great nations of Iran and Afghanistan." "The two Iranian and Afghan nations are close to each other due to their bonds and commonalities, they belong to the same house and they will live alongside each other for good."

Karzai has been the talk of many conspiracy theories over his supposed consultant work for the infamous Union Oil Company of California aka Unocal a now defunct oil company.

Honorary British Knight (Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George) in June 2003.

On July 4, 2004, Karzai was awarded the Philadelphia Liberty Medal in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

On May 22, 2005, received an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Boston University

On May 25, 2005, received an honorary degree from the Center for Afghan Studies at the University of Nebraska — Omaha

On September 25, 2006, received an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Georgetown University

 

[maqsad]

Lets look at this another way:

OK lets look at this in yet another way.

Hamid Karzai, an ethnic Pashtun of the Popalzai clan of the Durrani tribe, was born in Kandahar, Afghanistan.

From 1979 to 1983, Karzai took a postgraduate course in political science at Himachal Pradesh University in Shimla)(So, spying for the ISI and CIA eh?)


No, being brainwashed and zombified by his RAW/KGB handlers and turned into one of many Manchurian Candidates to be planted on the other side. A four year deeply programmed candidate will have a minimum 30 year operating life and with frequent reprogrammings he can be extended indefinately with his programming virtually undetectible to those around him.

Karzai was a member of the Mujahideen and took active part in driving the Soviets out of Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion in the 1980s. (Obviously, that means the ISI was helping him)

Obviously this means Karzai the mole was handing the USSR sensitive information on militant tactics and capabilities as well as sensitive information about ISI installations such as the ammo dump which was blown up in 1988 by the KGB.


Karzai was a top contact for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)(That means he was RAW's enemy no. 1 during the 70s)

He had close personal contact with CIA Director William Casey and George H. W. Bush, who was Vice President of the United States.(Aha!)

Double bonus for the KGB. They got to milk all the info the CIA directed into the mujahideen through ISI as well as got a personal account of how the CIA top dogs wanted things done.

Karzai's brothers immigrated to the U.S.

He lived in exile in Quetta, in Pakistan where he worked to reinstate the Afghan king, Zahir Shah.(....and undoubtedly worked closely with ISI to help achieve his purpose)

Undoubtedly Karzai the mole learned a lot and handed that information over when he met with his KGB contacts durng his routine forays into Afghanistan.

In 2004 he rejected a US proposal to end poppy production in Afghanistan through aerial spraying of chemical herbicides, fearing that it would harm the economic situation of his countrymen.

Moreover, Karzai's younger brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai, who partially helped finance Karzai's presidential campaign, is rumored to be involved in the drug trade.

Other contributing factors to his win may have included his endorsement by US President George W. Bush's administration, the use of US Army transport during his election campaign, the brief one-month campaign season

In a January 2008 interview, Karzai expressed his feelings towards America by stating: "if I am called a puppet because we are grateful to America, then let that be my nickname."

In October of 2007, Karzai rejected Western accusations against Iran, stating, "We have resisted the negative propaganda launched by foreign states against the Islamic Republic and we stress that aliens' propaganda should not leave a negative impact on the consolidated ties between the two great nations of Iran and Afghanistan." "The two Iranian and Afghan nations are close to each other due to their bonds and commonalities, they belong to the same house and they will live alongside each other for good."

Karzai has been the talk of many conspiracy theories over his supposed consultant work for the infamous Union Oil Company of California aka Unocal a now defunct oil company.

Honorary British Knight (Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George) in June 2003.

On July 4, 2004, Karzai was awarded the Philadelphia Liberty Medal in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

On May 22, 2005, received an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Boston University

On May 25, 2005, received an honorary degree from the Center for Afghan Studies at the University of Nebraska — Omaha

On September 25, 2006, received an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Georgetown University

 

[Flintlock]

^^^Okay now this is getting repetitive.

 

[maqsad]

^^ Not really, I added a new and extensive reply concerning RAW. It's also consistent with what I said earlier.