President Hamid Karzai has been unusually assertive. Lashing out at the US for not respecting Afghanistan’s sovereignty, the president announced several initiatives to reclaim his authority from the US and NATO.
President Hamid Karzai has been unusually assertive. Lashing out at the US for not respecting Afghanistan’s sovereignty, the president announced several initiatives to reclaim his authority from the US and NATO. Will Afghanistan have to pay a price?In a Pashto and Dari bilingual TV debate forum organised by the BBC and Afghanistan’s National Radio Television network, President Karzai called the US a friend and strategic partner of Afghanistan.
But this was days after he had in a nationally televised address attacked the US for siding with the Taleban, and seeking to stay on in the country. “America has come, it is not leaving …,” the president said.
Soon after he stopped Afghan forces from calling for US air strikes after 10 civilians were killed in Kunar. US Special Forces were ordered out of Wardak following complaints of harassment from locals. Also, international forces were banned from entering Afghan universities after the arrest of yet another student.
“We are bargaining. They (Americans) are bringing us under pressure. We will press them but they are cleverer than us in the media,” the president said in the TV debate.
Killid spoke to several political observers who all point to a recent change of stance of the Ulema Council as one of the reasons for Karzai’s new boldness. The highest religious institution has warned that international forces in Afghanistan would be called an occupying force if the US fails to hand over control of Bagram. Following a US request for time to resolve the Bagram imbroglio, Karzai has responded positively
Afghan members of parliament (MPs) and civil society leaders have expressed concern about the escalating tension between the president and his main ally, Washington. MPs said the Ulema Council had no business to interfere in a matter that should be decided by the executive and judiciary of the country.
Sharif Balkhabi, MP from Sar-e-Pul, observes the president’s statements, even though verbal, are like the provisions of the law. “I don’t know what high agenda and long-term strategy (he is following) when he speaks so,” he told Killid.
Waning support
MPs fear Karzai’s utterances may hurt the achievements of the government and damage Afghanistan’s relations with the international community.
Mohiuddin Mehdi, MP from Baghlan, says, “Everyone knows Afghanistan’s ties with the international community are one of the undeniable achievements of the decade. Only the enemies of Afghanistan are against these achievements.”
Mahdawi said parliament should pass an order requesting the president not to “upset” relations with Afghanistan’s allies with his “personal comments … and not to trample on our national interests through his confusing statements.”
Parliament’s administrative board comprising the speaker, secretary and two deputy speakers, also views the statements as “Karzai’s personal viewpoint and say they would issue a regulation.”
Mirwais Yasini, first deputy speaker of parliament, called it “irresponsible”. “The (tense) situation is worrying the nation,” he said. “As international forces exit there are contradictory statements from the government. Our soldiers are being martyred; so are MPs. Our life is not safe. The (government’s) irresponsible behavior with our nation is not acceptable.”
Naeem Lalai Hameedzai, Kandahar MP, said Karzai’s statements will deepen the rift between Afghanistan and its western friends “which is not beneficial to Afghan people and Afghan nation”.
Only Abdul Satar Khawasi, MP from Parwan, believes Karzai’s anti-US view must be defended because he is the “first person in the country to accomplish his duty”. He hoped the president would stand firm on his decisions. “We should not be victimised by foreign and neighboring countries,” he said. “We should not be sacrificed.”
