Karzai has crossed the line.
Posted on 06. Apr, 2010 by scott in Social commentary, general musings
I have been absorbed by the NCAA Final Four the past few days. It has been great too. Close games with great plays and even better sportsmanship. I am though, deeply disappointed that Butler did not win it all, too. I think most Americans living outside of North Carolina were for this amazing ‘underdog’ — aren’t we usually that way?
Like we all want to root for Afghanistan to rise up out of the poverty and religious intolerance that has made it one of the poorest nations in the world . . . war torn for decades, rife with uneducated Mullahs (except in their perverted view of the Qu’ran) who poison the minds and wills of generations of young people, destroyed by Russia’s arrogance, and now occupied by America and it’s allies in a seemingly perpetual war against terrorism and Al Quieda.
Our government has tens of thousands of troops in this God-forbidden, mountain bound’ land-locked and insular land. We have spent hundreds of billions of $$ trying to rid the country of wicked and ignorant men and women who care nothing for the ‘nation’ we are trying to create for them. Our efforts to educate the people (mostly the young) have met with resistance and killing. Attempts to free women from the bondage of poorly interpreted religious traditions resulted in further hatred and even torture.
And yet, our government (with support of a majority of citizens) has labored on. Like other battles for the ‘underdog’ Americans stand willing to sacrifice for the ‘greater good.’
The blood of hundreds of our young men and women has been spilt on the dusty plains and rocky ranges of the faraway country. Enormous amounts of equipment, supplies, food, and other necessities have been shipped there.
And why?
We think we know and so struggle on, but . . . Karzai?
Karzai has assumed that it has all been for him and his ill-conceived, and even more ill-functioning government. Bribery is a way of life there. Fraud and abuse of the $$billions we send there result in little being dribbled down to the people as corruption at the highest, and all, levels are commonplace.
Karzai and his cronies line their pockets and play at governing but the Afghan people see no improvement. In fact most reports say they either fear or hate the bureaucrats and police. There are even rumors of government alliances, both political and financial, with some of the Taliban.
This of course has been hard to stomach. I have not trusted Hamid Karzai from the first day I saw him on TV costumed in his pretentious green robes and sillywool ‘crown.’ There was something inherently dishonest in the was he spoke . . . the droll of his pleas for peace and money. I have been a pretty good judge of character in my life . . . it has helped a lot . . . and I judged him bad from day one.
The stated strategy has been that we must support the ‘nation building’ of a country that has rejected a central government for generations. All so that the nooks and crannies within its borders will not become hiding places for terrorists bent on destroying all western and Christian forms of life. The process has been harrowing and dangerous. Some of our allies have packed up and left . . . deeming the goal to be unachievable.
Yet, America presses on under the leadership of our own new President. Hoping that eventually Afghanistan will thrive under a legitimate and self-sustaining democratic government. I can only say dream on.
Both President Bush and President Obama have voiced support for the ‘elected’ leader of the land: Hamid Karzai. I say ‘elected’ because the most recent elections were so rife with fraud that no President should have been elected. Yet Karzai prevailed . . . and Obama has said that ‘the people’ of Afghanistan have spoken.
Let me tell it like it is: Karzai is in power in Afganistan only because America allows him to be. Perhaps this administration considers him the lesser of two evils (or three or four for that matter). But, this support is misguided and wrong.
Karzai is not in control of his nation. He is even less in power. The United States military, along with our few remaining allies, is in control and has the power, such as it is.
Yet this administration continues the charade of Karzai’s puppet government. We allow him to parade around the world as if he was a genuine leader worthy of international acclaim. He is the titular head of a ragtag army and national police force . . . yet those very forces are trained and funded with our tax dollars. There is no real government in Afghanistan.
Talk about a balanced budget– heck Afghanistan’s government has revenues of only $1 billion and spends over $3 billion. About the same as a mid-sized city in Montana. Are you kidding me? Karzai has been bad for his own people and he has been bad for us . . . more so every day it seems.
Now, Karzai has really crossed the line.
Last week he complained of ‘international’ interference in the most recent election (international can only mean U.S. since we dominate the foreign presence there). The White House took that with unexpected resilience that came across as far too understanding.
Then, a few days later, in a final strike at the hand that feeds him, Karzai said that if foreign interference continued the Taliban would be legitimized and he might even join them. What the heck would he do without ‘foreign’ interference? He would be nothing but another penniless ’foreigner’ strolling along Paris streets. Is this guy crazy? A Quisling? Traitor, enemy, crook?
The audacity of this idiot is incredible.
And it must not be allowed to continue.
It is time for Obama to follow the lessons learned after WWII in Germany and Japan. Our military must take over the entire government process until the people of the country are distanced enough from Karzai’s puppet and illegitimate rule to see that self-governance can and will work.
This will take years. But we must do it. We simply cannot allow Afghanistan to collapse again like it did when the Russkies abandoned it.
America and our allies must be in control of everything that goes on in Afghanistan. We have to control the police, the army, the bureaucrats, transportation, licensing . . . the entire government. We have to be there to manage our $$Billions and save our soldiers lives. We can’t leave any decision that involves the Afghans or our soldiers to be left up to others — especially not someone like Karzai who only came to Afghanistan after the successful ‘invasion.’ We have to make sure the people in every city and throughout the country have peace, freedom, education, roads, dams, schools, hospitals, and everything else it takes them to enter, at least, the 20th century.
It is clear that this will never happen with Karzai or anyone else like him. Leadership can’t just be assumed. It has to be learned and earned and America must be the teacher here. Perhaps there is a young man (or woman) somewhere in Afghanistan who can, someday, rise to leadership . . . and we must provide the avenue for him (or her) to do so.
It will be a huge commitment (perhaps along the lines of post-war Germany or Japan, maybe even South Korea) and it will take years, not months. Forget the pretense of Karzai’s leadership and take control. Out of the existing mess, one day, pride and greatness can rise. jJust not now. Just not Karzai.
That much is as clear as anything in this troubled world.
I call on President Obama to recognize that Karzai is NOT a legitimate leader and has neither the qualifications nor the honor to function as President of Afghanistan. Appoint an interim ‘Governor’ and assume complete leadership.
Give the Afghan people a chance–and some time.
thanks to flickr’s blatantnews.com for the photo
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