Karzai: Americans Are “Demons”

We have previously discussed Afghan President Hamid Karzai stated inclinations toward the Taliban and harsh treatment of women. Then there was Karzai’s recent position that women are worth less than men — presumably even those American women keeping Karzai and his corrupt family and friends in power. This week Karzai has added that Americans are “demons” and no better than the Taliban. Karzai then called for divine intervention to defeat the Americans and the Taliban — a dangerous call in a nation known for religious fanaticism: “Let’s pray for God to rescue us from these two demons. There are two demons in our country now.”

Karzai insisted that there will be no forgiveness for the Americans regardless of claims that the recent burning of Korans was done by mistake. Karzai has declared that those “Satanic acts that will never be forgiven by apologies.” He went out of his way to tell citizens that they should not believe this was an isolated incident. Noting that the recent massacre of civilians by an American soldier was just the latest atrocity committed by the American “demons.” That shooting, he insisted, “was not the first incident, indeed it was the 100th, the 200th and 500th incident.”

Karzai’s words will only encourage those people in the Afghan military who continue to kill Americans. We have had regular occurrences of Afghan soldiers turning their weapons on their fellow U.S. soldiers at checkpoints and military bases. Karzai’s statements will only reinforce the view that dying in such attacks are religiously justified and constitute martyrdom to secure a place in paradise.

Just for the record, the United States and its allies have lost 2,845 “demons” in Afghanistan fighting for Karzai and his people. Wounded personnel are over 7,000. Added to this sacrifice are the hundreds of billions spent by our government while we slash our own educational, scientific, and social programs across the country.

In the meantime, the Karzai family and its allies continue to be accused of stealing hundreds of millions of dollars. The U.S. has continued to pump in billions despite the widespread corruption — treating thefts as a cost of doing business in the country with only occasional efforts to curtail the practice. Yet, one Afghan official stated “Karzai wants revenge on the U.S. because of the systematic insults he has suffered, that he feels his family suffered, because of Kabul Bank.”

The Obama Administration continued the Bush policy in keeping forces in the country and spending billions as polls showed growing hatred toward the United States and growing instability in the Karzai regime. We continued this support as Karzai and his government embraced medieval religious practices and repeatedly denied basic rights to religious dissidents and women. The result has been years of support for a government that rejects the core principles upon which our nation is founded and has increasingly denounced our military forces as evil and the enemy. It is perfectly Felliniesque.

Source: NY Times