After eight years governing the US-backed administration and as US officials lauded August’s election as a success despite over a million fraudulent votes cast on his behalf, one would think that Afghan President Hamid Karzai would be inexorably linked with the international forces in general and America in particular.
But with just two weeks left until a hotly contested runoff vote with Abdullah Abdullah and anti-US protesters taking to the streets of the capital city, the incumbent seems to once again be playing on the “rift” between him and the international forces.
With growing US questions about whether the Afghan government is anything resembling a legitimate partner in the endless war, Karzai issued a video today in which he slammed the US and said the real question was if America was a reliable partner for Afghanistan.
Incredibly enough, Karzai used similar rhetoric during his campaign for the first round, arguing that only he was a powerful enough leader to force changes in unpopular US tactics.
Abdullah gave an interview on CNN today arguing that he would be a more credible partner for America than Karzai, but this might inadvertently hurt his chances if he is seen by voters as cozying up to the US. Moreover the US seems to benefit from having a tense relationship with the Afghan government as it gives them a convenient scapegoat for wartime failures.
Play it America's way or else.
1. The "freedom fighters" of the Mujahedeen in expelling the Russians from Afghanistan in the 80's. The term "freedom fighters" headed an email written by a senior CIA guy Vince Cannistraro. The Mujahedeen mutated into the Taleban, ran the country their way, and that's where they lost America's "Friendship".
2. Saddam Hussein was Kissinger's darling "powerful player" in the 80's. Supplied with NASA target coordinates in the Iran-Iraq war. Supplied with chemical precursors. Offered EXIM funding after his meeting with Rumsfeld, for the al-Aqaba pipeline (oil. What else could it be!). Then in the oil fields of Kuwait Saddam tried to grab a piece of the pie for himself, play to America's rules. But he miscalculated.
3. The Iraqi government. Selected, elected, and funded in part by America. But woe betide them if they decide to think independently, and by God they know it.
4. And Karzai. A selected puppet president. His term of office will last as long as he cow-tows to American policies. And he knows it.
There are others, too many to mention here.
he hasn't studied much of our history. i'm reminded of the Diem regime of South Viet Nam. Diem was a lackey president just as Karzai is. And we looked the other way as he was murdered.
I guess we are not installing an “American-style” democracy in Afghanistan. In the US when an election is disputed we let a court decide the outcome instead of having re-elections. Of course, both systems still have fraudulent elections, so we have succeeded there.
what American-style democracy are you talking about? Do we have democracy in America? I did not know that!
Abdullah Abdullah seems to hope that by cozying up to the Americans maybe they will help rig the election in his favor instead of Karzai's.