MarketNeutral
6th April 2010, 10:23 PM
AFTER three successive outbursts blaming foreigners for last year's election fraud, accusing western troops of meddling and finally threatening to join the Taleban, Afghan president Hamid Karzai suffered a fresh blow last night when the insurgents essentially told him to get lost.
"It's just a game he is playing," said Taleban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid. "He is trying to show people he is not under the control of the Americans, but it's completely false.
"If he really wants to join the Taleban, first he should face justice. He should face justice for bringing foreign troops to Afghanistan. He should face justice for all the crime which has happened during his rule in Afghanistan, and for the corruption for what is going on now. Then we'll decide whether we'll join with him or not."
At a closed meeting of Afghan parliamentarians on Saturday, the president – who is still smarting from a failed attempt to change the election law – threatened to join the Taleban, which he has warned could be seen as a legitimate resistance movement rather than an insurgency.
"If I come under foreign pressure, I might join the Taleban," he told the MPs.
Afghan history has rarely favoured leaders who get too close to foreigners. Nonetheless, even the president's supporters are worried he might have gone too far.
One said: "We can't stand by and allow one person to ruin our relationship with the world."
Dr Abdullah Abdullah, who finished second in last August's flawed presidential elections, said it was his opinion as a doctor and a former colleague that Mr Karzai's behaviour was concerning and erratic.
"I think he has lost it," the former eye surgeon told The Scotsman. "He has lost track of the situation, of what he does and what he says. He's created a lot of confusion and he's jeopardising our national interest."
http://news.scotsman.com/12007/Taleban-accuses-Afghan-president-of.6207553.jp
"It's just a game he is playing," said Taleban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid. "He is trying to show people he is not under the control of the Americans, but it's completely false.
"If he really wants to join the Taleban, first he should face justice. He should face justice for bringing foreign troops to Afghanistan. He should face justice for all the crime which has happened during his rule in Afghanistan, and for the corruption for what is going on now. Then we'll decide whether we'll join with him or not."
At a closed meeting of Afghan parliamentarians on Saturday, the president – who is still smarting from a failed attempt to change the election law – threatened to join the Taleban, which he has warned could be seen as a legitimate resistance movement rather than an insurgency.
"If I come under foreign pressure, I might join the Taleban," he told the MPs.
Afghan history has rarely favoured leaders who get too close to foreigners. Nonetheless, even the president's supporters are worried he might have gone too far.
One said: "We can't stand by and allow one person to ruin our relationship with the world."
Dr Abdullah Abdullah, who finished second in last August's flawed presidential elections, said it was his opinion as a doctor and a former colleague that Mr Karzai's behaviour was concerning and erratic.
"I think he has lost it," the former eye surgeon told The Scotsman. "He has lost track of the situation, of what he does and what he says. He's created a lot of confusion and he's jeopardising our national interest."
http://news.scotsman.com/12007/Taleban-accuses-Afghan-president-of.6207553.jp