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Afghanistan
Karzai wants madrassas in Pakistan closed
2006-09-27
Afghanistan's president is urging Pakistan to close extremist schools and seeking support from US President George W Bush in a campaign against "places that teach terror".

"There will not be an end to terrorism unless we remove the sources of hatred in madrassas and the training grounds," Afghan President Hamid Karzai said on Monday. The Afghan leader distinguished between madrassas, or schools, that teach extremism to young people and those that provide education in Islam. "We need preachers in our religion," he said. Karzai said, "There will not be an end to terrorism unless we remove the sources of hatred in madrassas and the training grounds".

Karzai said he had no objection to madrassas that teach Islam to young people. But he said it was up to President Musharraf to deal with the problem of teaching hatred to young children. "Those places have to be closed down," he said. While it is Pakistan's job, the United States could provide some financial help to get it done, Karzai said.
Posted by:Fred

#9  "It is not the people of the madrassas who are radical, it is Karzai who is moderate bordering on heresy and apostasy. It is the people in the madrassas who are faithful to the teachings of the Koran "

Because there is one interpretation of the Koran that is correct? Do you make your judgement of which is correct based on your knowledge of the Hadiths? Of the 4 major schools of Sunni Fikh?

Cmon, there aint no "authentic as it was written" Theres only how its practiced, and both Kharzai and the Talibanies have plenty of precedent to go by in terms of practice.

Posted by: liberalhawk   2006-09-27 10:44  

#8  This Karzai is one righteous dude. He definitely has a clear view of the problem, not only in his country, but also in ours. He is doing what he can to move the ball forward, and that's more than most Americans. Keep it up.
Posted by: wxjames   2006-09-27 09:50  

#7  Story in context:
President George W. Bush and President Hamid Karzai of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan joint press conference

Question by Jennifer Loven (AP)
And to President Karzai, if I might, what do you think of President Musharraf's comments that you need to get to know your own country better when you're talking about where terror threats and the Taliban threat is coming

PRESIDENT KARZAI: Ma'am, before I go to remarks by my brother, President Musharraf, terrorism was hurting us way before Iraq or September 11th. The President mentioned some examples of it. These extremist forces were killing people in Afghanistan and around for years, closing schools, burning mosques, killing children, uprooting vineyards, with vine trees, grapes hanging on them, forcing populations to poverty and misery.

They came to America on September 11th, but they were attacking you before September 11th in other parts of the world. We are a witness in Afghanistan to what they are and how they can hurt. You are a witness in New York. Do you forget people jumping off the 80th floor or 70th floor when the planes hit them? Can you imagine what it will be for a man or a woman to jump off that high? Who did that? And where are they now? And how do we fight them, how do we get rid of them, other than going after them? Should we wait for them to come and kill us again? That's why we need more action around the world, in Afghanistan and elsewhere, to get them defeated -- extremism, their allies, terrorists and the like.

On the remarks of my brother, President Musharraf, Afghanistan is a country that is emerging out of so many years of war and destruction, and occupation by terrorism and misery that they've brought to us. We lost almost two generations to the lack of education. And those who were educated before that are now older. We know our problems. We have difficulties. But Afghanistan also knows where the problem is -- in extremism, in madrassas preaching hatred, preachers in the name of madrassas preaching hatred. That's what we should do together to stop.

The United States, as our ally, is helping both countries. And I think it is very important that we have more dedication and more intense work with sincerity, all of us, to get rid of the problems that we have around the world.
Posted by: SwissTex   2006-09-27 09:45  

#6  Captain America

It is not the people of the madrassas who are radical, it is Karzai who is moderate bordering on heresy and apostasy. It is the people in the madrassas who are faithful to the teachings of the Koran and people like Karzai managed to get through indoctrination towards murder without being affected by it.
Posted by: JFM   2006-09-27 07:53  

#5  And in the US? What do we close here?
Posted by: Besoeker   2006-09-27 07:35  

#4  We have Afghan and India on our side.

Who would miss Pakistan in the World if we squashed these religious bigots????

Only country comes to mind is Saudi!the funders of terrorism.
Posted by: Cheregum Crelet7867   2006-09-27 06:13  

#3  Radicalism? Hmmmm. I think you are far too generous. It's not "radical", it's regular old everyday run-of-the-mill Islam. Same as has been practiced for approx 1400 years - spread at the point of a sword, or whatever is available.

Recall they would have executed the apostate convert to Christianity not long ago - and would have done it had it not been heavily publicized, forcing Karzai to get creative. They had to declare him "insane" - standing reality on its head - to wiggle out of practicing Islam.

The ISI is in export mode because they enjoyed controlling Afghanistan. That Karzai doesn't appreciate the interference is understandable. To presume his displeasure is because he and his fellows do not practice Islam as written is, IMHO, a non-sequitur. Just my opinion.
Posted by: Glilet Omaiter8461   2006-09-27 03:43  

#2  How can we expect anything but nuanced? It is not Karzai's country to govern. Karzai has to somehow get along with ego-driven Perv(ert).

Yet it is out of Pakland that the radicals flourish.

Karzai should be publicly joined by every security minded country in speaking out about radicalism from Pakland and Perv(ert).
Posted by: Captain America   2006-09-27 03:21  

#1  "Karzai said he had no objection to madrassas that teach Islam to young people. But he said it was up to President Musharraf to deal with the problem of teaching hatred to young children."

How nuanced.
Posted by: Glilet Omaiter8461   2006-09-27 03:12  

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