Karzai questions US reliability as partner

[laststeamtrain]

Source: AFP

Karzai questions US reliability as partner

By Stephanie Griffith (AFP) – 6 hours ago

WASHINGTON — Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai questioned the reliability of the United States as a partner Sunday, as he fought off criticism of his government's legitimacy following fraud-marred elections.

Karzai's main challenger, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, warned in an interview with CNN that the US strategy will not succeed without a credible partner in Kabul, blaming Karzai for deteriorating conditions.

But underscoring the political headache that Washington faces if Karzai wins a run-off against Abdullah next month, Karzai pointed the finger at the United States in a separate, pre-recorded CNN interview.

"Is the United States a reliable partner with Afghanistan? Is the West a reliable partner with Afghanistan?" Karzai asked. "Have we received the commitments that we were given? Have we been treated like a partner?"

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hEnQZhBbY_JMdsbKNIVnuKmaxqDw

[DJ13]

1. The CHEATER questions OUR reliability?

lol

[EFerrari]

16. It's pretty bad when someone like Karzai is able to call our government

intransigent and be right.

[karynnj]

17. Look back at the history

The US funded the warlords against the USSR, then abandoned them when the USSR fell.

Here is the interview that I think they are referring to - http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/podcasts/fareedzakaria/site/2009/10/25/gps.podcast.10.25.cnn

[EFerrari]

24. Ahmed Rashid said very specifically that the Taliban were able to re-enter

Afghanistan by saying, "We told you the Americans weren't going to re-build anything. We told you they weren't to be trusted."

[karynnj]

25. Sad isn't it -

We had the opportunity to re-build in the wake of kicking most of the Taliban out in 2002. Now, it is not clear that we still have any window of opportunity to still do that, but not doing it will make what Rashid said absolutely true.

I watched the 4 hearings Kerry had on Afghanistan that used outside experts to try to get answers on assumptions embedded in all the options. Having done that, I actually now think I know less than I thought I knew before doing so. What is clear is that this really is a choice of least bad alternatives rather than best alternatives. It is also clear that Kerry and other Democrats have completely rejected the idea that we can significantly change the culture of another country and neo con ideas of "spreading democracy".

From this article, it seems clear that the least we are looking at doing is counter-terrorism plus. My guess is the battle will be over defining "plus". I have wondered if the media has distorted Biden's position as just counter-terrorism. From the hearings, their was a genuine concern from many that, if there was no effort to help Afghanistan protect its villages and to rebuild, the terrorists and insurgents killed, will simply be replaced. (It might be that this works against terrorists, who are not native to the land they are in, but would not work in a civil war - which I think is another name for "insurgency".)

I hope that when Obama makes his decision, whatever it is, he takes the time to have a long, serious talk with the country outlining the dangers in that region, what our goals are, what the alternatives considered were and what factors led him to choose the choice he did. Although this would not make everyone agree with the choice, I think it would be useful to counter the Republicans, who will say whatever he does is wrong. I also think it very likely that many here will be furious as it is unlikely that he will agree to get out immediately.

[thunder rising]

2. Get MY GI's out of that MFs hell hole...now .. I'm done

[Maccagirl]

3. He has no room to talk.

How many more troops (and civilians) have to die in that shooting gallery?

[kenny blankenship]

4. Thinks he has Obama by the nads

And he thinks right.

[WheelWalker]

5. He can eat my SHIT!

[bunnysoft]

6. Karzai, the benefitiary of many stolen votes tells us how things it's done nt

[roamer65]

7. Najibullah speaks from the grave.

Karzai must be channeling the Soviet-era stooge President Najibullah.

[tomm2thumbs]

8. Seems like he's giving secret forces every reason to see he doesn't survive another election

no doubt Cheney is pulling strings in the military with all his embedded drones in the Pentagon

[PDJane]

9. No matter his emotions or motivations,

he is correct.

“To be an enemy of America can be dangerous, but to be a friend is fatal”
Henry Kissinger, the war criminal.

[msongs]

10. is this President McCyrstal's stooge parrotting fed information? nt

[Aramchek]

12. yep, first McChrystal now Karzai... Makes me think Obama might not be sending any troops

And these dirtbags think that leaks and public pressure are the only way to get him to do so.

[Golden Raisin]

11. They just don't make puppets like they used to.

[shadowknows69]

13. Ok, bye. There's your out President Obama.

Take it. Home now!

[YouTakeTheSkyway]

14. This is his way of pouting because there's going to be a run off vote.

[dipsydoodle]

15. Pot

say 'ello to kettle.

[Arctic Dave]

18. Partner? Hahahaha, he thinks he's a partner.

Your dealing with the US. We have puppets not partners.

[Knight Hawk]

19. Leave Tonight

As someone who was in Vietnam all I can say is LEAVE TONIGHT and do not look back.You see what happened in Iraq today? We cannot settle these peoples problems and that goes for Israel and the entire Middle East.We are a big part of the problem and Joe six pack is paying for these wars in HIS BLOOD and HIS TREASURE!

[pinniped]

20. The ballot box stuffing gig wasn't supposed to be found out.

Because of this, more people will question his legitimacy.

Maybe this assclown can partner up with the Russian Federation.

[unkachuck]

21. "Is the United States a reliable partner..."

....well, ain't that the pot calling the kettle black? hamid, I believe you're the unreliable partner....you sit there in Kabul on your mound of graft and corruption and you can't even steal an election right....didn't you learn anything from us?

[Tempest]

22. The only reason Karzai is in power is because of the U.S.

Without our support, Karzai would have been assassinated or thrown out of office for corruption a long, long time ago.

Integrity Watch called his government the most corrupt in the world.

[DallasNE]

23. Mixture Of Sour Grapes And Blackmail

Thanks Dick Cheney for setting this in motion.

On the other hand, it shows how wise it is to delay a decision on Afghanistan policy until after the November election. Certainly 18 days in an 8-year war is no issue when measured against this backdrop.

[damntexdem]

26. Hey, Karzai, maybe you'd better start looking for a "more reliable" partner.

If we're a problem, we'd be glad to get out of the way. ;-)