Afghan leader alleges US, Taliban are colluding
Source: AP-Excite
By HEIDI VOGT and RAHIM FAIEZ
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Sunday accused the Taliban and the U.S. of working in concert to convince Afghans that violence will worsen if most foreign troops leave - an allegation the top American commander in Afghanistan rejected as "categorically false."
Karzai said two suicide bombings that killed 19 people on Saturday - one outside the Afghan Defense Ministry and the other near a police checkpoint in eastern Khost province - show the insurgent group is conducting attacks to help show that international forces will still be needed to keep the peace after their current combat mission ends in 2014.
"The explosions in Kabul and Khost yesterday showed that they are at the service of America and at the service of this phrase: 2014. They are trying to frighten us into thinking that if the foreigners are not in Afghanistan, we would be facing these sorts of incidents," he said during a nationally televised speech about the state of Afghan women.
U.S. and NATO forces commander Gen. Joseph Dunford said Karzai had never expressed such views to him, but said it was understandable that tensions would arise as the coalition balances the need to complete its mission and the Afghans' move to exercise more sovereignty.
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Afghan President Hamid Karzai sits among the audience prior to his nationally televised speech about the state of Afghan women in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, March, 10, 2013. Karzai on Sunday accused the Taliban and the U.S. of working in concert to convince Afghans that violence will worsen if most foreign troops leave as planned by the end of next year. Karzai says two deadly suicide bombings on Saturday show the insurgent group is conducting attacks to help show that international forces will still be needed to keep the peace after their current combat mission ends in 2014. (AP Photo/Ahmad Jamshid)
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that will commit suicide if you look at his background. He has a strong tribal connection in Afghanistan. His father was assassinated and there has been several attempts on his life. He has a large family and they have been part of the political fabric in Afghanistan for decades. They had very strong relationships with the former monarchy of Afghanistan also.
His history tells me this man knows what he is talking about and should be given some credit, even though he might manipulate some facts to his benefit. Karzai use to work with the CIA against the Soviet Union's invasion of Afghanistan, so this man knows a lot. And if you look at the history of the Taliban, they use to be part of the Muhajideen created by Pakistan and funded by Saudia Arabia and the Ronald Reagan Administration. It also included Bin Laden and his fighters. Karzai was in the United States at the time advocating for some of that funding also. He supported the Taliban at one time but did not support them when they tried to implement Sharia Law. He gave his support to Massoud and the Northern Alliance before Massoud was assassinated. When the U.S. invaded, he was picked as the best candidate for the interim Government after the dislodging of the Taliban Government.
The reading I get from this man, is that he is more concerned about his people than anyone else's interests. That includes the United States and Pakistan. I think the people in this country already know how to fight because they have been fighting in that environment for decades. They don't need troops. They just need weapons. I believe the Taliban is an instrument of the Pakistani military, particularly their intelligence services and the CIA probably knows it.
And the information I get, is they were created by a Pakistani General. They seem to be very knowledgeable of military strategy on the battlefield, such as covert activity. Someone trained them.
