Written by Mohammad Akram Andeshmand
Translated by Mohammad Amin Wahidi
Karzai and celebration of Independence Reclamation Day
In one of meetings of ministers’ council in the summer 2003 which was chaired by Hamid Karzai, the ministers discussed the celebration of Afghanistan independence reclamation day from the British colonizers. Karzai in that meeting began the discussion with anger and critics. He said; “what does it mean, independence reclamation? What have our forefathers achieved by this independence? The British colonizers went and our homeland still remained ruined, while on the other side of Duran border*, many changes came in the presence of the British, they brought railways, they asphalted their roads and brought electricity power for them, and we are happy to got independence and celebrate it!”
Such statements by the president about the Afghan independence shocked some of the ministers. Among them, Arif Noorzai the minister of border and tribal affairs (on that time) and a relative of Karzai from Kandahar who fought against the Taliban with Masoud was more upset and felt abased among the others.
He angrily said to Karzai; “Karzai Saheb! No need to be worried a lot! Now also there are a lot of foreigners (British and Americans), and they are just beside the presidential Arg*, you can use the chance and bring railway, electricity power etc by them now. The other ministers also had other points of view and the discussion on the independence reclamation celebration finished by noon.
Let him know!
After the long discussion in the ministers’ council on the celebration of independence reclamation day from the Britain, Mr. President was the host of his cabinet member for the lunch in the garden of the presidential Arg.
Every one was eating and there was almost a silence. Suddenly there was a voice and asked Mr. President: “Karzai Saheb! What is your difference with King Shuja and Babrak Karmal?” It was Akbar the minister of refugees’ repatriation who asked the question in Pashto language. Karzai quacked, facing with a non-expected question by a minister of his cabinet, he kept silent for a while and then told Arif Noorzai in Pashto; “Aref, let him know!”
Worse than King Shuja and Babrak Karmal
In August 2008, in the president Arg, before some members of parliaments President Karzai admitted that he was worse than King Shuja and Babrak Karmal.
He told the MPs that he was worse than King Shuja and Babrak Karmal; “Look, how the foreigner forces, bombard our innocent civilians, kill our innocent women and children but I cant stop them doing it. The British did the same, during Kingdom of Shah Shuja, and the Russians did it during the presidency of Babrak Karmal. The British and the Russians killed civilians in this land but nor Shah Shuja neither Babrak Karmal could stop them. Today I am worse than them. Whatsoever they want, they do in this land. Will it be going the same?”
A criticizing language against the foreigners
While Karzai admits his weakness about stopping what the foreign troops do in the country when talking with the members of parliament but in the outer appearance before media he uses a threatening and criticizing language against the foreign forces.
His criticizing tone against the west has been increasing after the victory of Barak Obama in the United States presidential election and after his last trip to the United States in last November.
In 26 November 2008 when meeting the UN security councils delegates to Kabul, for the first time, president Karzai asked seriously for a timeline to end the anti terror war in Afghanistan. In fact a timeline to end the anti terror war means a time for the return of thousands of American and other western countries troops from Afghanistan to their countries, while before this, he was always talking on the need of presence of the foreign troops in Afghanistan without a limited and specified time line.
In 27 November 2008, Karzai criticized the operation of the international forces in Afghanistan and called this war, an ambiguous war against the terror while speaking in a joint press conference with the NATO secretary general Japp De Hoop Scheffer
in Kabul. There once again Karzai emphasized on negations with the Taliban especially with Mullah Omar. And then later in 18 January 2009, Japp De Hoop Scheffer
stated that the corruption of the Afghan government under Karzai leadership has the same effect to insecure the country as the Taliban have.
Expansion of anti foreigner sensation within the chain of Karzai government
Criticizing the foreigners is not limited only to Mr. President but has expanded to a team in his government.
Coincidently with the change in Karzai’s mood of talking about the international troops, the minister of information and culture also began to take position against the foreigners. In the last week of November when Karim Khoram appeared before the senate, he stated that the media law has been influenced by the foreigners and the pressures of the foreign ambassadors to impose their own views and policies on the Media law in Afghanistan.
The first demonstration against the foreigners in Kabul
While Karzai team’s criticizes had already increased against the foreigners, using a new policy this team organized a demonstration in front of UNAMA office in Kabul in 26 November 2008.
The demonstrators asked for end of the war, cessation of victimizing the civilians in air strikes and bombardments and they demanded the recompenses for the people killed under the air strikes of the international forces.
They put all their demand in a manifest* which were handed to the UNAMA officials.
In this manifest, the demonstrators emphasized on negations with the Taliban and asked the Afghan government to allege in an International court against the killers of the civilians. Without a doubt, this demonstration was a part of organized efforts of Karzai government to put pressures on the international community especially the United States of America.
Mr. President’s motives
After victory of Obama in the presidential elections of the United States, Karzai began to criticize the policies of the United States of America in Afghanistan. His tone has changed especially after his last trip to the United States when Obama denied meeting him. Most of the analysts believe that Karzai has no more chance to be president again, as the support of by the American government under Obama leadership is decreased.
It is even said that Joe Byden the current American vice president, has asked Karzai to resign. Even Mrs. Clinton before talking the responsibility of Foreign Ministry, when called Afghanistan as a weak country effected with corruption.
At the same time of Joe Byden’s trip to Kabul, the NATO secretary general talked about the insufficiency and corruption of the Afghan government and in Washington post and he wrote in an article that “ The Afghans want a government that merit and worth their confidence and allegiance”. Although Karzai reacted intensely to NATO secretary general statements, he referred the corruption to the NGOs and the foreigners, while he may have forgotten that instead of supporting Ramazan Bashardost in his campaign against corruption, he forced Bashardost to resign from Planning Ministry.
The NATO secretary general and the new governing team in the White House both have almost the same points of views about Karzai government. In its last analysis about the next Afghan presidential Elections, The British Daily “Independent” of 23 January 2009 wrote “Obama comes and Karzai goes!”
Karzai knows very well that without the support of the western countries United States at the top, he has no more chance of remaining on power, thus he has applied a new policy that is denounce the operation of the international forces and it has two goals; first he wants to frighten Washington and to get gavel from Washington to remain on power, and the second goal is to find a heroic place for him among the Pashtoons of the south who are the supporter of the Taliban. But will he achieve his goals?!
Karzai and the ways to remain on power
Karzai’s efforts to remain on power are not only limited to a critical language against the foreign troops. His continues negotiations with different figures and personalities such as Jihadi leaders, former warlords and political parties to get their support for the next elections are other efforts to remain on power. It seems that to some extend he has influenced The National Front to have some of their members with him. Marshal Mohamad Qasim Fahim is heard to have agreed to be one of the vice presidents or a minister in his cabinet. On the other side, except their leader, most of the members of Hezb e Islami are already within the government which is another part of Karzai’s plans. At the same time, Karzai is to begin face to face negations with the Hezb e Islami Leader Gulbudeen Hekmatyar as well as with the Taliban, which is being facilitated by Saudi Arabia.
Release of Abdul Rashid Dostum from a household imprisonment and then inviting him and Akabar Bai by Farooq Wardak was another effort to have the support of Dostum as well in the coming election.
In spite of hearing disappointing music from the White House, Karzai is still hopeful to get support of the new American government. He believes the American would not ignore him this soon, after investing on him for seven years, while finding a better successor for Karzai would not be an easily job for Obama’s administration.
Barack Obama and a replacement for Karzai
If the new American government under Obama leadership wants to remove Karzai from power, who would they support to replace him?
There are three political activists one of whom could be a replacement for Karzai as they are being discussed by the Afghan analysts and the US officials; Ali Ahmad Jalali, Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai. Although Abdullah Abdullah has not officially announced his preparations for presidential election but Jalali and Ahmadzai have both announced their readiness for the coming election.
Abdullah Abdullah a close friend of Masoud, an active and realistic political figure of anti-Taliban resistance time, would not enter this competition without the consent of other members of the resistance front. On the other hand, the national front does not have the capability to introduce a single candidate, and every one in this front makes efforts for their personal and individual interests. If the White House is to remove Karzai and support another person to replace him, Ali Ahmad Jalali has more chance to win in the coming election. Their getting together has been an easier arrangement for the American officials to replace Karzai. In this composition, Abdullah would be considered as the first vice president while Jalali would be considered as the president and Ahmadzai would be considered as the minister of finance. Realization of this composition makes it easier for the US government to bring changes in the Afghan administration but still there are two questions here which would be answered by passage of time; “will Ahmadzai step down from for Jalali as his minister?” and will the United States under Obama’s leadership help to bring change in Afghanistan by supporting another person rather than Karzai in the coming presidential election?
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Follow KabulPress for the latest analysis and reports about Afghanistan and the region
After victory of Obama in the presidential elections of the United States, Karzai began to criticize the policies of the United States of America in Afghanistan. His tone has changed especially after his last trip to the United States when Obama denied meeting him. Most of the analysts believe that Karzai has no more chance to be president again, as the support of by the American government under Obama leadership is decreased.
It is even said that Joe Byden the current American vice president, has asked Karzai to resign. Even Mrs. Clinton before talking the responsibility of Foreign Ministry, when called Afghanistan as a weak country effected with corruption.
At the same time of Joe Byden’s trip to Kabul, the NATO secretary general talked about the insufficiency and corruption of the Afghan government and in Washington post and he wrote in an article that “ The Afghans want a government that merit and worth their confidence and allegiance”. Although Karzai reacted intensely to NATO secretary general statements, he referred the corruption to the NGOs and the foreigners, while he may have forgotten that instead of supporting Ramazan Bashardost in his campaign against corruption, he forced Bashardost to resign from Planning Ministry.
The NATO secretary general and the new governing team in the White House both have almost the same points of views about Karzai government. In its last analysis about the next Afghan presidential Elections, The British Daily “Independent” of 23 January 2009 wrote “Obama comes and Karzai goes!”
Karzai knows very well that without the support of the western countries United States at the top, he has no more chance of remaining on power, thus he has applied a new policy that is denounce the operation of the international forces and it has two goals; first he wants to frighten Washington and to get gavel from Washington to remain on power, and the second goal is to find a heroic place for him among the Pashtoons of the south who are the supporter of the Taliban. But will he achieve his goals?!
Karzai and the ways to remain on power
Karzai’s efforts to remain on power are not only limited to a critical language against the foreign troops. His continues negotiations with different figures and personalities such as Jihadi leaders, former warlords and political parties to get their support for the next elections are other efforts to remain on power. It seems that to some extend he has influenced The National Front to have some of their members with him. Marshal Mohamad Qasim Fahim is heard to have agreed to be one of the vice presidents or a minister in his cabinet. On the other side, except their leader, most of the members of Hezb e Islami are already within the government which is another part of Karzai’s plans. At the same time, Karzai is to begin face to face negations with the Hezb e Islami Leader Gulbudeen Hekmatyar as well as with the Taliban, which is being facilitated by Saudi Arabia.
Release of Abdul Rashid Dostum from a household imprisonment and then inviting him and Akabar Bai by Farooq Wardak was another effort to have the support of Dostum as well in the coming election.
In spite of hearing disappointing music from the White House, Karzai is still hopeful to get support of the new American government. He believes the American would not ignore him this soon, after investing on him for seven years, while finding a better successor for Karzai would not be an easily job for Obama’s administration.
Barack Obama and a replacement for Karzai
If the new American government under Obama leadership wants to remove Karzai from power, who would they support to replace him?
There are three political activists one of whom could be a replacement for Karzai as they are being discussed by the Afghan analysts and the US officials; Ali Ahmad Jalali, Abdullah Abdullah and Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai. Although Abdullah Abdullah has not officially announced his preparations for presidential election but Jalali and Ahmadzai have both announced their readiness for the coming election.
Abdullah Abdullah a close friend of Masoud, an active and realistic political figure of anti-Taliban resistance time, would not enter this competition without the consent of other members of the resistance front. On the other hand, the national front does not have the capability to introduce a single candidate, and every one in this front makes efforts for their personal and individual interests. If the White House is to remove Karzai and support another person to replace him, Ali Ahmad Jalali has more chance to win in the coming election. Their getting together has been an easier arrangement for the American officials to replace Karzai. In this composition, Abdullah would be considered as the first vice president while Jalali would be considered as the president and Ahmadzai would be considered as the minister of finance. Realization of this composition makes it easier for the US government to bring changes in the Afghan administration but still there are two questions here which would be answered by passage of time; “will Ahmadzai step down from for Jalali as his minister?” and will the United States under Obama’s leadership help to bring change in Afghanistan by supporting another person rather than Karzai in the coming presidential election?
Visit Deedenow Cinema for the updates on Afghan Arts and Cinema
Follow KabulPress for the latest analysis and reports about Afghanistan and the region
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