Afghanistan: Karzai accuses U.S., Taliban of colluding

Karzai wants to keep the American troops in Afghanistan, because he knows that if they go, so does he. "Afghan leader Hamid Karzai says US, Taliban are colluding," from the Associated Press, March 10 (thanks to Jos):

Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Sunday accused the Taliban and the US of working in concert to convince Afghans that violence will worsen if most foreign troops leave as planned by the end of next year.
Karzai said two suicide bombings that killed 19 people on Saturday — one outside the Afghan Defence Ministry and the other near a police checkpoint in eastern Khost province — show the insurgent group is conducting attacks to help show that international forces will still be needed to keep the peace after their current combat mission ends next year.

“The explosions in Kabul and Khost yesterday showed that they are at the service of America and at the service of this phrase: next year. They are trying to frighten us into thinking that if the foreigners are not in Afghanistan, we would be facing these sorts of incidents,” he said during a nationally televised speech about the state of Afghan women.

There was no immediate response from the US-led military coalition, which is gradually handing over responsibility for securing the country to Afghan forces.

Karzai is known for making incendiary comments in his public speeches, a move that is often attributed to him trying to appeal to those who sympathise with the Taliban or as a way to gain leverage when he feels his international allies are ignoring his country’s sovereignty. In previous speeches he has threatened to join the Taliban and called his Nato allies occupiers who want to plunder Afghanistan’s resources.

His latest remarks come as his government is negotiating a pact with the US for the long-term presence of American forces in Afghanistan and just days after an agreement to transfer the US prison outside of Kabul to Afghan authority fell through. His comments also came while US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel is making his first visit to Afghanistan since becoming the Pentagon chief.

Karzai said in his speech that any foreign powers that want to keep troops in Afghanistan need to do so under conditions set forward by Afghanistan.

“We will tell them where we need them, and under which conditions. They must respect our laws. They must respect the national sovereignty of our country and must respect all our customs,” Karzai said.

Karzai offered no proof of coordination, but said the Taliban and the United States were in “daily negotiations” in various foreign countries and noted that the United States has said that it no longer considers the insurgent group its enemy. The US continues to fight against the Taliban and other militant groups, but has expressed its backing for formal peace talks with the Taliban to find a political resolution to the war.

Karzai said he did not believe the Taliban’s claim that they launched Saturday’s attacks to show they are still a potent force fighting the United States. “Yesterday’s explosions, which the Taliban claimed, show that in reality they are saying they want the presence of foreigners in Afghanistan,” Karzai said.

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gravenimage | March 10, 2013 3:03 PM | Reply

Afghanistan: Karzai accuses U.S., Taliban of colluding
...........................................

Uh...what? Even though the Americans, foolishly, are talking about engaging the Taliban in "peace talks", it is Karzai himself who has threatened to "join the Taliban" if the US doesn't toe the line with him.

And Karzai smeared the Americans with false charges to get them to leave Wardek Province in order to give the Taliban a free hand there.

Karzai wants to keep the American troops in Afghanistan, because he knows that if they go, so does he.
...........................................

And this, of course, is the explanation, such as it is. Karzai is trying—vainly, I'm sure—to curry favor with the Taliban while still keeping the Americans around for as long as possible. I'm sure Karzai is all too aware of the fate of his predecessor Najibullah, whom the Taliban murdered, mutilated, and whose rotting body was put on display in Kabul.

He's also aware that Americans will take a lot of abuse without striking back at him—or even just abandoning him. Of course, this is foolish—but he knows us all too well.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Sunday accused the Taliban and the US of working in concert to convince Afghans that violence will worsen if most foreign troops leave as planned by the end of next year.
...........................................

And why would the *Taliban* want to keep us around? They can't wait to take control of Afghanistan again, and their first act—even before stoning women—will be to exact "revenge" on Karzai and his cronies.

Karzai may just be getting desperately incoherent at this point—or he may assume that the Americans will earnestly try to persuade him that he is wrong about us, as well as conclude that Afghanistan isn't ready to go it alone yet, and that we should stay just a little bit longer...

Karzai said two suicide bombings that killed 19 people on Saturday — one outside the Afghan Defence Ministry and the other near a police checkpoint in eastern Khost province — show the insurgent group is conducting attacks to help show that international forces will still be needed to keep the peace after their current combat mission ends next year.

“The explosions in Kabul and Khost yesterday showed that they are at the service of America and at the service of this phrase: next year. They are trying to frighten us into thinking that if the foreigners are not in Afghanistan, we would be facing these sorts of incidents”
...........................................

I believe this is a "don't throw me in the briar patch" moment—he is really hoping that the Americans will stay, without overtly appearing to.

Karzai said in his speech that any foreign powers that want to keep troops in Afghanistan need to do so under conditions set forward by Afghanistan.
...........................................

Right...

“We will tell them where we need them, and under which conditions. They must respect our laws. They must respect the national sovereignty of our country and must respect all our customs,” Karzai said.
...........................................

In other words, he only wants the Americans there as his puppets.

Karzai offered no proof of coordination, but said the Taliban and the United States were in “daily negotiations” in various foreign countries and noted that the United States has said that it no longer considers the insurgent group its enemy. The US continues to fight against the Taliban and other militant groups, but has expressed its backing for formal peace talks with the Taliban to find a political resolution to the war.
...........................................

Of course, this just shows that we are capable of fantasy-based policies as well. Idiocy all around.

Karzai said he did not believe the Taliban’s claim that they launched Saturday’s attacks to show they are still a potent force fighting the United States. “Yesterday’s explosions, which the Taliban claimed, show that in reality they are saying they want the presence of foreigners in Afghanistan,” Karzai said.
...........................................

Right. Not even Karzai believes this. But it might keep us fighting and dying and pumping money into his godforsaken sh*t hole for a bit longer...

exsgtbrown | March 10, 2013 4:01 PM | Reply

Karzai accuses U.S., Taliban of colluding

he's just doing a little projection.....

Kepha | March 10, 2013 5:25 PM | Reply

Well, American foreign policy since the end of WWII has always been to negotiate with our enemies. Further, I do not think that the Afghanistan conflict was ever "winnable" in the sense that we might midwife the appearance of a stable, liberal (in the archaic sense) order.

Sam | March 10, 2013 9:13 PM | Reply

Good. The enemies of the USA, Karzai, Taliban and the US administration are fighting each other. Good for the American people.

Wished they didn't use my tax dollars.

PorkFatRules | March 10, 2013 11:15 PM | Reply

Bin Laden is dead.

Why not leave now before we lose any more of our men and women in uniform?

David Dowse | March 11, 2013 8:59 PM | Reply

Why would the United States get its own soldiers killed in order to collude with the very people killing them?

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