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| Hamid Karzai: 'I have to be at the frontline of hardship and hard work' | Hamid Karzai: 'I have to be at the frontline of hardship and hard work' |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| It has been more than a decade since Hamid Karzai, whose job a US diplomat described as the most difficult in the world, took a holiday. But the man once hailed in the west as the suave, stylish embodiment of a new Afghanistan will be taking a long rest next year when he steps down as president of his fractured and impoverished country. | It has been more than a decade since Hamid Karzai, whose job a US diplomat described as the most difficult in the world, took a holiday. But the man once hailed in the west as the suave, stylish embodiment of a new Afghanistan will be taking a long rest next year when he steps down as president of his fractured and impoverished country. |
| The Afghan constitution does not allow him to run in another election. Nato-led forces are also due to leave at the end of 2014, so the country will face the future without the leader and the foreign military presence that have defined much of the last decade. | The Afghan constitution does not allow him to run in another election. Nato-led forces are also due to leave at the end of 2014, so the country will face the future without the leader and the foreign military presence that have defined much of the last decade. |
| "It is true that I haven't taken a holiday. I haven't noticed that I haven't taken a holiday," he told the Guardian and ITN in an exclusive interview in London, where he joked that the seven-hour flight to the UK was enough of a rest for now. "I'll be taking a long holiday a year from now. | "It is true that I haven't taken a holiday. I haven't noticed that I haven't taken a holiday," he told the Guardian and ITN in an exclusive interview in London, where he joked that the seven-hour flight to the UK was enough of a rest for now. "I'll be taking a long holiday a year from now. |
| "Of course I have felt the strain, of course one needs time off but it depends on whether one can afford it or not. I feel I cannot afford it, I feel I should continue to work for another year and then take a good leave and recuperate." | "Of course I have felt the strain, of course one needs time off but it depends on whether one can afford it or not. I feel I cannot afford it, I feel I should continue to work for another year and then take a good leave and recuperate." |
| Karzai took power as a temporary leader after the fall of the Taliban in 2001, then won two successive presidential polls, in 2004 and 2009. Charming, clever, and fluent in Pashtu, Dari, English and Urdu, he made Esquire magazine's list of best-dressed men in 2004, and seemed at home anywhere from the remotest corners of Afghanistan to western capitals. | Karzai took power as a temporary leader after the fall of the Taliban in 2001, then won two successive presidential polls, in 2004 and 2009. Charming, clever, and fluent in Pashtu, Dari, English and Urdu, he made Esquire magazine's list of best-dressed men in 2004, and seemed at home anywhere from the remotest corners of Afghanistan to western capitals. |
| Tall and energetic, wrapped in a traditional Afghan chapan robe of woven blue, green and purple silk, and wearing a karakul cap of silver lamb's fleece, Karzai has a charisma and focus that cut through lingering jetlag and a cold. That personality has helped him build relationships with everyone from Prince Charles – whom he describes as a "very fine gentlemen" – to the senior council of Afghan clerics who recently ruled that women were "secondary" to men. | Tall and energetic, wrapped in a traditional Afghan chapan robe of woven blue, green and purple silk, and wearing a karakul cap of silver lamb's fleece, Karzai has a charisma and focus that cut through lingering jetlag and a cold. That personality has helped him build relationships with everyone from Prince Charles – whom he describes as a "very fine gentlemen" – to the senior council of Afghan clerics who recently ruled that women were "secondary" to men. |
| But there is a steely edge beneath the mannered exterior, and a strong nationalist sentiment, forged in part through years fighting the Soviets and then the Taliban, which brought him into conflict with western countries supporting his government financially and with troops. | But there is a steely edge beneath the mannered exterior, and a strong nationalist sentiment, forged in part through years fighting the Soviets and then the Taliban, which brought him into conflict with western countries supporting his government financially and with troops. |
| He objected to much about the military presence as it escalated over the last decade, from night raids on Afghan homes to the creation of militia-like local police. Meanwhile, diplomats were also cooling on the relationship, and Karzai earned a reputation as erratic, emotional and prone to believing paranoid conspiracy theories, according to leaked US diplomatic cables. | He objected to much about the military presence as it escalated over the last decade, from night raids on Afghan homes to the creation of militia-like local police. Meanwhile, diplomats were also cooling on the relationship, and Karzai earned a reputation as erratic, emotional and prone to believing paranoid conspiracy theories, according to leaked US diplomatic cables. |
| Ties were perhaps irretrievably damaged during the 2009 presidential elections, which were marred by allegations of massive fraud, when Karzai felt western allies were trying to remove him from power. His critics now describe him as an obstructive protector of corrupt relatives and cronies, pointing to a brother in the southern city of Kandahar who, before he was assassinated, was alleged to have links to drug traffickers, and another who was a shareholder in a bank that nearly collapsed under $900m (£560m) of bad loans. | Ties were perhaps irretrievably damaged during the 2009 presidential elections, which were marred by allegations of massive fraud, when Karzai felt western allies were trying to remove him from power. His critics now describe him as an obstructive protector of corrupt relatives and cronies, pointing to a brother in the southern city of Kandahar who, before he was assassinated, was alleged to have links to drug traffickers, and another who was a shareholder in a bank that nearly collapsed under $900m (£560m) of bad loans. |
| He is politically astute and has outmanoeuvred many of the western military commanders and ambassadors who traipsed through the imposing stone entrance of his palace fort over the last decade, helped perhaps by the fact that they came and went while he stayed put to watch many repeat their predecessors' mistakes. | He is politically astute and has outmanoeuvred many of the western military commanders and ambassadors who traipsed through the imposing stone entrance of his palace fort over the last decade, helped perhaps by the fact that they came and went while he stayed put to watch many repeat their predecessors' mistakes. |
| Ryan Crocker, former US ambassador to Kabul, described Karzai's job as the most difficult in the world; it is certainly one of the most dangerous. All but one of the men who have ruled Afghanistan since the king was deposed in the 1970s has met an unnatural end. Several were killed by their successors. | Ryan Crocker, former US ambassador to Kabul, described Karzai's job as the most difficult in the world; it is certainly one of the most dangerous. All but one of the men who have ruled Afghanistan since the king was deposed in the 1970s has met an unnatural end. Several were killed by their successors. |
| Karzai has said he will not leave Afghanistan after he steps down, which means the question of who takes over could be one of life or death for him, although he says he is not worried. "I don't feel any danger at all, none. I am in my country, and safe and sound," he said. | Karzai has said he will not leave Afghanistan after he steps down, which means the question of who takes over could be one of life or death for him, although he says he is not worried. "I don't feel any danger at all, none. I am in my country, and safe and sound," he said. |
| The death toll from the years of war that have convulsed Afghanistan includes his father, his brother and many friends, colleagues and political allies and rivals. He has survived at least four assassination attempts since taking power, with security tightening each time. | The death toll from the years of war that have convulsed Afghanistan includes his father, his brother and many friends, colleagues and political allies and rivals. He has survived at least four assassination attempts since taking power, with security tightening each time. |
| Controls at the vast fortified palace where he lives are now so strict that visitors below ministerial rank are not even allowed to keep their pens, getting standard-issue ballpoints once they have checked in their belongings and passed several body searches. | Controls at the vast fortified palace where he lives are now so strict that visitors below ministerial rank are not even allowed to keep their pens, getting standard-issue ballpoints once they have checked in their belongings and passed several body searches. |
| Karzai rarely leaves the palace, and when he does he usually travels by aeroplane or helicopter, even across the capital. But he shrugged off the security constraints. "I have seen a lot more protection elsewhere," he said when asked about life as possibly the world's most heavily guarded head of state. | Karzai rarely leaves the palace, and when he does he usually travels by aeroplane or helicopter, even across the capital. But he shrugged off the security constraints. "I have seen a lot more protection elsewhere," he said when asked about life as possibly the world's most heavily guarded head of state. |
| "That danger is always there in life. In Afghanistan it's there in one way, in the west in lots of other ways. | "That danger is always there in life. In Afghanistan it's there in one way, in the west in lots of other ways. |
| "Accidents are part of life. So no, I don't feel fear. Danger is there but I am not afraid of it." | "Accidents are part of life. So no, I don't feel fear. Danger is there but I am not afraid of it." |
| He has fiercely protected his family's privacy, perhaps for security or perhaps haunted by the memories of a previous ruler penalised for setting a liberal example by encouraging his wife to wear western clothes and uncover her head. | He has fiercely protected his family's privacy, perhaps for security or perhaps haunted by the memories of a previous ruler penalised for setting a liberal example by encouraging his wife to wear western clothes and uncover her head. |
| His wife, a doctor who once worked in tough refugee camps in Pakistan, has not made a public appearance for years. A picture that allegedly showed his young son playing with a tame deer was spread across Afghan Twitter and Facebook pages within hours by people fascinated by the possible glimpse of the first family. | His wife, a doctor who once worked in tough refugee camps in Pakistan, has not made a public appearance for years. A picture that allegedly showed his young son playing with a tame deer was spread across Afghan Twitter and Facebook pages within hours by people fascinated by the possible glimpse of the first family. |
| Karzai set diplomatic circles in Kabul buzzing last year when he named his first daughter Malalai, a popular Afghan name but also that of a heroine of the 19th-century fight against the British, with whom his government has had a strained relationship. | Karzai set diplomatic circles in Kabul buzzing last year when he named his first daughter Malalai, a popular Afghan name but also that of a heroine of the 19th-century fight against the British, with whom his government has had a strained relationship. |
| He fought the Soviets and then the Taliban while brothers were running restaurants in the US, but unlike many of the commanders who have supported him and held senior positions in his governments – from army chief of staff, provincial governors and ministers to first vice-president – he has no military power base. | He fought the Soviets and then the Taliban while brothers were running restaurants in the US, but unlike many of the commanders who have supported him and held senior positions in his governments – from army chief of staff, provincial governors and ministers to first vice-president – he has no military power base. |
| He says his decade-long efforts have not been for personal gain – he reportedly earns $525 a month – but for the good of the country. "It's my country, we have to build it. Look how long it took you to build Britain into the good country that it is today. Someone did a great work there in the past, someone sacrificed, perhaps millions of people did hard work for centuries to bring you to where you are." | He says his decade-long efforts have not been for personal gain – he reportedly earns $525 a month – but for the good of the country. "It's my country, we have to build it. Look how long it took you to build Britain into the good country that it is today. Someone did a great work there in the past, someone sacrificed, perhaps millions of people did hard work for centuries to bring you to where you are." |
| Afghanistan has to do the same, he said. "Every citizen of Afghanistan has to work hard. And I, as the president of Afghanistan, have to be at the frontline of that hardship and hard work." | Afghanistan has to do the same, he said. "Every citizen of Afghanistan has to work hard. And I, as the president of Afghanistan, have to be at the frontline of that hardship and hard work." |
| Biography | Biography |
| 1957 Born in Kandahar | 1957 Born in Kandahar |
| 1980s Works in Pakistan as fundraiser for the mujahideen in fight against Soviet occupation | 1980s Works in Pakistan as fundraiser for the mujahideen in fight against Soviet occupation |
| July 1999 Father killed by Taliban | July 1999 Father killed by Taliban |
| 1999 Married obstetrician Zeenat Quraishi. They now have a son, six, and a daughter who is nearly one year old | 1999 Married obstetrician Zeenat Quraishi. They now have a son, six, and a daughter who is nearly one year old |
| Dec 2001 Afghan groups agree deal on interim government following US-led bombing of Taliban. Karzai sworn in as interim head of government | Dec 2001 Afghan groups agree deal on interim government following US-led bombing of Taliban. Karzai sworn in as interim head of government |
| June 2002 The loya jirga (grand council) elects Karzai as interim head of state | June 2002 The loya jirga (grand council) elects Karzai as interim head of state |
| Sept 2002 First of several assassination attempts against him | Sept 2002 First of several assassination attempts against him |
| Jan 2004 Loya jirga adopts new constitution | Jan 2004 Loya jirga adopts new constitution |
| Oct/Nov 2004 Elected president | Oct/Nov 2004 Elected president |
| Oct 2006 Nato takes responsibility for security across whole of Afghanistan | Oct 2006 Nato takes responsibility for security across whole of Afghanistan |
| June 2008 Karzai warns that Afghanistan will send troops into Pakistan to fight militants | June 2008 Karzai warns that Afghanistan will send troops into Pakistan to fight militants |
| Aug 2009 Presidential and provincial elections marred by Taliban attacks and claims of fraud | Aug 2009 Presidential and provincial elections marred by Taliban attacks and claims of fraud |
| Oct 2009 Declared president after rival Abdullah Abdullah pulls out before second round | Oct 2009 Declared president after rival Abdullah Abdullah pulls out before second round |
| July 2011 His half-brother, Kandahar power-broker Ahmad Wali Karzai, is killed by a member of his security team | July 2011 His half-brother, Kandahar power-broker Ahmad Wali Karzai, is killed by a member of his security team |
| July 2011 Security handover to Afghan forces begins in Bamiyan province | July 2011 Security handover to Afghan forces begins in Bamiyan province |
| Spring 2012 US agrees to Karzai's demand for Afghan control of night raids and prisons | Spring 2012 US agrees to Karzai's demand for Afghan control of night raids and prisons |
| May 2012 Nato finalises plan to pull out combat troops by end of 2014 | May 2012 Nato finalises plan to pull out combat troops by end of 2014 |
| July 2012 US and Afghanistan sign strategic partnership agreement, giving a long-term framework for ties | July 2012 US and Afghanistan sign strategic partnership agreement, giving a long-term framework for ties |
| April 2014 Presidential elections due. Constitution will prevent him standing again | April 2014 Presidential elections due. Constitution will prevent him standing again |
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