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| Hamid Karzai says security in Helmand better before British troops arrived | Hamid Karzai says security in Helmand better before British troops arrived |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| The Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, has questioned whether western troops were "fighting in the wrong place" during their decade-long mission in Afghanistan, saying security was better in southern Helmand province before the arrival of British forces. | The Afghan president, Hamid Karzai, has questioned whether western troops were "fighting in the wrong place" during their decade-long mission in Afghanistan, saying security was better in southern Helmand province before the arrival of British forces. |
| Speaking exclusively to the Guardian and ITV News in London, Karzai said he was unclear if western forces were leaving Afghanistan because they felt they had achieved the aim of making their own countries more secure by tackling international terror groups – or because they had realised the mission was mistaken. | Speaking exclusively to the Guardian and ITV News in London, Karzai said he was unclear if western forces were leaving Afghanistan because they felt they had achieved the aim of making their own countries more secure by tackling international terror groups – or because they had realised the mission was mistaken. |
| "They feel fulfilled with regard to the objective of fighting terrorism and weakening al-Qaida, or they feel that they were fighting in the wrong place in the first place, so they should discontinue doing that and leave," Karzai said in an interview ahead of trilateral talks with David Cameron and the Pakistani president, Asif Ali Zardari. | "They feel fulfilled with regard to the objective of fighting terrorism and weakening al-Qaida, or they feel that they were fighting in the wrong place in the first place, so they should discontinue doing that and leave," Karzai said in an interview ahead of trilateral talks with David Cameron and the Pakistani president, Asif Ali Zardari. |
| The man who has led Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in 2001 said the greatest long-term threat to the country was not the insurgents but meddling by foreign powers. He did not name Pakistan, but he has long been a strident critic of the neighbouring country, which has provided sanctuaries for the Taliban for years, and his government has accused Islamabad's military intelligence of manipulating the insurgents. | The man who has led Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in 2001 said the greatest long-term threat to the country was not the insurgents but meddling by foreign powers. He did not name Pakistan, but he has long been a strident critic of the neighbouring country, which has provided sanctuaries for the Taliban for years, and his government has accused Islamabad's military intelligence of manipulating the insurgents. |
| The trilateral meetings follow moves by Pakistan to build confidence, such as the release of several batches of Taliban prisoners whom Kabul wanted freed. They have raised hopes of progress towards substantive Afghan peace talks, which would be almost impossible without Pakistani support. | The trilateral meetings follow moves by Pakistan to build confidence, such as the release of several batches of Taliban prisoners whom Kabul wanted freed. They have raised hopes of progress towards substantive Afghan peace talks, which would be almost impossible without Pakistani support. |
| Karzai said: "There will not be peace in Afghanistan by having an agreement only between us and the Afghan Taliban. Peace will only come when the external elements involved in creating instability and fighting, or lawlessness in Afghanistan, are involved in talks." He added that he was more optimistic than a year ago that extensive behind-the-scenes contacts between his government and the Taliban would bear fruit, as relations with Pakistan improved. | Karzai said: "There will not be peace in Afghanistan by having an agreement only between us and the Afghan Taliban. Peace will only come when the external elements involved in creating instability and fighting, or lawlessness in Afghanistan, are involved in talks." He added that he was more optimistic than a year ago that extensive behind-the-scenes contacts between his government and the Taliban would bear fruit, as relations with Pakistan improved. |
| "Britain's role at this point is highly valued in the pursuit it has for the peace process in Afghanistan and bringing Afghanistan and Pakistan together in a close dialogue for improved relations," Karzai said. | "Britain's role at this point is highly valued in the pursuit it has for the peace process in Afghanistan and bringing Afghanistan and Pakistan together in a close dialogue for improved relations," Karzai said. |
| As a pullout for the Nato-led mission draws closer, the focus on peace talks is gaining ground. All forces must be gone by the end of next year but hopes that Afghanistan would be relatively secure by then have been abandoned. The country is still plagued by widespread instability, and the Afghan police and army will face a tough fight against the Taliban. | As a pullout for the Nato-led mission draws closer, the focus on peace talks is gaining ground. All forces must be gone by the end of next year but hopes that Afghanistan would be relatively secure by then have been abandoned. The country is still plagued by widespread instability, and the Afghan police and army will face a tough fight against the Taliban. |
| Karzai admitted that it was utopian to think the government could survive without some western military and financial aid after the main Nato mission ends. | Karzai admitted that it was utopian to think the government could survive without some western military and financial aid after the main Nato mission ends. |
| Afghans were not concerned whether the west felt it had succeeded or failed in their country, Karzai said, because they were focused on trying to recover from 30 years of war. He expects fighting to diminish after most foreign troops have gone, however, as their departure would remove a grievance that drove many fighters to take up arms. | Afghans were not concerned whether the west felt it had succeeded or failed in their country, Karzai said, because they were focused on trying to recover from 30 years of war. He expects fighting to diminish after most foreign troops have gone, however, as their departure would remove a grievance that drove many fighters to take up arms. |
| "The exit of foreign forces will not bring more violence for them to perpetrate against their own people, but a serious, strong, good reduction in violence will occur," Karzai said, adding that he thought Helmand had been more peaceful before tens of thousands of US and British troops arrived to fight the Taliban in 2006. | "The exit of foreign forces will not bring more violence for them to perpetrate against their own people, but a serious, strong, good reduction in violence will occur," Karzai said, adding that he thought Helmand had been more peaceful before tens of thousands of US and British troops arrived to fight the Taliban in 2006. |
| Karzai was quoted as telling an official in 2008: "The question is why do we have Taliban controlling these areas now, when two years ago I had control of Helmand … we had girls in schools and only 160 foreign troops." | Karzai was quoted as telling an official in 2008: "The question is why do we have Taliban controlling these areas now, when two years ago I had control of Helmand … we had girls in schools and only 160 foreign troops." |
| Asked about those comments, and whether he felt the substantial international presence had helped the area, Karzai paid tribute to the sacrifices the Nato-led troops had made and said it was not clear why violence had risen, but stood by the statement. | Asked about those comments, and whether he felt the substantial international presence had helped the area, Karzai paid tribute to the sacrifices the Nato-led troops had made and said it was not clear why violence had risen, but stood by the statement. |
| "Factually, what I said then was true, and it remains true today. | "Factually, what I said then was true, and it remains true today. |
| "In 2002 through 2006, Afghanistan had a lot better security. When we had our own presence there, with very little foreign troops, schools were open in Helmand and life was more secure," he said. | "In 2002 through 2006, Afghanistan had a lot better security. When we had our own presence there, with very little foreign troops, schools were open in Helmand and life was more secure," he said. |
| "But I am not going to blame, and it should not be seen as such. I don't want to be interpreted as saying that the arrival of foreign troops brought less security or worsened security for us. Whatever happened was the past, and now we are looking forward to the future." | "But I am not going to blame, and it should not be seen as such. I don't want to be interpreted as saying that the arrival of foreign troops brought less security or worsened security for us. Whatever happened was the past, and now we are looking forward to the future." |
| The president has long opposed the presence of foreign troops in Afghan towns and villages, but he said it was critical that some stay on in large bases. | The president has long opposed the presence of foreign troops in Afghan towns and villages, but he said it was critical that some stay on in large bases. |
| The US is considering leaving a few thousand troops in Afghanistan, probably bolstered by soldiers from Nato allies, to hunt groups linked to al-Qaida in the wild area around the Pakistan border and provide more training to the shaky Afghan security forces. | The US is considering leaving a few thousand troops in Afghanistan, probably bolstered by soldiers from Nato allies, to hunt groups linked to al-Qaida in the wild area around the Pakistan border and provide more training to the shaky Afghan security forces. |
| But the Obama administration has also said it is considering removing all troops, dubbed the "zero option", which Karzai warned could be disastrous for Afghanistan. | But the Obama administration has also said it is considering removing all troops, dubbed the "zero option", which Karzai warned could be disastrous for Afghanistan. |
| "Zero option would be a failure, not success," Karzai said. | "Zero option would be a failure, not success," Karzai said. |
| "We wish to have that utopian state of mind, that's the ideal. Why wouldn't I – or why wouldn't any citizen of a country – want no troops on our side?" | "We wish to have that utopian state of mind, that's the ideal. Why wouldn't I – or why wouldn't any citizen of a country – want no troops on our side?" |
| "[But] Afghanistan needs to rebuild itself … For that we need the presence of the international community with us, our allies." | "[But] Afghanistan needs to rebuild itself … For that we need the presence of the international community with us, our allies." |
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