[Tolo News] In rsponse to the reason comparison made by President Hamid Maybe I'll join the TalibanKarzai
... A former Baltimore restaurateur, now 12th and current President of Afghanistan, displacing the legitimate president Rabbani in December 2004. He was installed as the dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001 in a vain attempt to put a
Pashtunface on the successor state to the Taliban. After the 2004 presidential election, he was declared president regardless of what the actual vote count was. He won a second, even more dubious, five-year-term after the 2009 presidential election. His grip on reality has been slipping steadily since around 2007, probably from heavy drug use...
of the Kabul-Washington security pact with the much resented Durand Line Treaty made with Great Britannia in the 19th century, a number of international affairs experts looked to clarify the major differences between the two.
The experts principled objection to Karzai's statement, which added greater tension to a already tense situation over the delay in the Bilateral Security Agreement's (BSA) finalization, was that the pact had been judged to be in Afghanistan's interests and was overwhelmingly supported by the Afghan people.
Back in November, a 2,500-member Loya Jirga voted in approval of the BSA, and since Karzai has demanded the U.S. meet new preconditions before the deal is signed, a bevy of Afghan politicians and civil society activists have come out in public support of it.
In contrast, the experts said, the Durand Line Treaty was imposed by the British Empire and entailed the loss of territory.
"I think instead of comparing this agreement to the Durand Line Treaty, President Karzai should have compared it to the U.S. Security agreement with Germany, the U.S. Security Agreement with Japan, or U.S. Security Agreement with Soddy Arabia
...a kingdom taking up the bulk of the Arabian peninsula. Its primary economic activity involves exporting oil and soaking Islamic rubes on the annual hajj pilgrimage. The country supports a large number of princes in whatcha might call princely splendor. When the oil runs out the rest of the world is going to kick sand in the Soddy national face...
and South Korea," international affairs expert Malek Setiz said.
Political analyst Daud Moradian said Karzai should consider what kind of leader he wants to be, and how he wants to be remembered.
"Today, India has changed into a strategic partner with the U.S. and is an emerging power in the region, so we hope that Mr. Karzai will learn from Ahmadi Nejad's experiences and will act in accordance with the national interests of Afghanistan like Manmohan Singh," Moradian said, juxtaposing the anti-U.S. legacy of the former Iranian leader with the more engaged leadership of India's current Prime Minister.
Recent statements made by Karzai casting doubt over whether or not he will ever sign the BSA have received harsh criticism from Afghan leaders, including Presidential candidates.
"I think that if the Bilateral Security Agreement between Kabul and Washington is not signed, the elections will not be held as well," Presidential candidate Gul Agha Sherzai
...former governor of Kandahar province. the Taliban got their start protecting people against him...
said.
"The Afghan people's hope is in the hands of a foreign country, but up to the efforts of the President of Afghanistan, the government of Afghanistan, the future government of Afghanistan and the people of Afghanistan," Presidential candidate Dr. Abdullah Abdullah
... the former foreign minister of the Northern Alliance government, advisor to Masood, and candidate for president against Karzai. Dr. Abdullah was born in Kabul and is half Tadjik and half Pashtun...
said.