Karzai and America Are Adversaries

It’s a funny thing when heads of state who came to power via assistance and funds from the U.S. — upon whom they depended during their rule, and under whose military protection and intelligence immunity they amassed great fortunes

— suddenly get fed up with any gesture of Washington that they oppose, either internally or abroad.

Without a doubt, Afghanistan’s venerable President Hamid Karzai is the best example of this type of president. U.S. intelligence hastily ushered him in from Pakistan; it’s even been said that he literally rode part of the way from Peshawar to Kabul on a motorcycle, so that he could carry out DC’s assignment to assume the presidency of Afghanistan.

These days, Karzai is making successive trips to surrounding countries trying to set up future relationships after the Americans’ departure at the end of 2014. During these trips he has constantly complained about the U.S., which is rushing him to sign a security agreement that would permit U.S. soldiers to stay in Afghanistan after the U.S. departure and which would guarantee that they would not be subject to Afghan courts, as well as linking future U.S. military and economic aid on Kabul’s political behavior.

His latest complaint was lodged with the Indians. In a visit to India two days ago he said that he “no longer trusts the United States” and accused the Americans of promising one thing and then doing another in their dealings with him. This complaint came in the wake of an announcement in which Karzai claimed that no one will force him to sign a security agreement that would allow U.S. troops to stay past 2014. Karzai had promised to sign the agreement before the end of 2013 and then insisted upon signing after presidential elections next April. This shift in the Afghan stance angered the Americans, who have requested Islamabad and New Delhi to assist them in pressuring Karzai to sign the agreement; otherwise the U.S. will withdraw troops before the end of this month.

It is noteworthy that Karzai has spent the last months criticizing the U.S. in a bid to gain favor with the Afghan people, who accuse him of being an agent of America. He is now launching campaigns against foreign use of drones that cause civilian deaths. He is likewise cozying up to China and renewing communication with Iran and Russia.

At the same time, he is striving to negotiate with a dissident Taliban faction. Meanwhile, the U.S. is still negotiating with other Taliban leaders: They are hoping to identify an alternative to Karzai among the new Taliban, to replace his regime and be a partner in an alliance that will rule Afghanistan in cooperation with Washington, and to be assisted by externally imposed U.S. troops for an extended time.