Afghan President Thanks U.S. Troops for Liberating Afghanistan

Washington File ^ | 25 September 2006 | David Shelby

[mdittmar]

Washington – Afghan President Hamid Karzai thanked the U.S. military for liberating Afghanistan from the oppressive Taliban regime and for providing security as the country works to rebuild its institutions and infrastructure.

“[M]y message for the American soldiers in Afghanistan is that they have liberated us from tyranny, from terrorism, from oppression, from occupation into a country that is now moving towards prosperity, that is once again the home of all Afghans,” Karzai told reporters September 25 after a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

Karzai said that Afghanistan has been transformed fundamentally by the U.S. intervention. “Afghanistan was not the home of all Afghans,” he said. “Today it is. Everybody's back in that country with a parliament, with a constitution, with a market economy, with a free press, with all that.”

He added that the ongoing effort to fight terrorism in Afghanistan is bolstering the security of the entire world.

The Afghan president acknowledged that Afghanistan’s opium trade continues to threaten the country’s development.

“Narcotics is a menace to Afghanistan. It's also an embarrassment to us as a nation. We are ashamed of that terrible product hurting us and hurting young people around the world,” he said.

Karzai said it is the responsibility of the Afghan people to rid their country of the narcotics trade in the interest of their future prosperity and to ensure their good standing in the international community, but he welcomed foreign assistance in achieving this goal.

Rumsfeld praised Afghanistan’s progress and welcomed NATO’s unprecedented mission to support security operations in Afghanistan. NATO’s International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan is the first major military mission the organization has undertaken outside of Europe.

“[T]he leadership that NATO's providing is important. It's valuable, and it reflects a commitment on the part of those 26 countries to your success and to the success of the Afghan people,” he told Karzai.

KARZAI ADDRESSES AUDIENCE AT WILSON CENTER

Later on September 25, the Afghan president told a group at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars that “reliance on religious radicalism as an instrument of policy” must stop. The use of radicalism began in the fight against the Soviets, but it had turned against the Afghan people, he said.

Making a distinction between genuine madrassas, or schools for Islamic studies, and those that taught violent radicalism, Karzai called for the closure of madrassas that turn boys into suicide bombers.

“Going to the sources of terrorism, where they get trained, where they get motivated, where they get financed, where they get deployed, is necessary,” he said. “There will not be an end to terrorism unless we remove the sources of hatred in madrassas.” He said those who run such schools should be arrested and imprisoned.

Karzai expressed optimism that the Afghan economy could grow once opium poppy cultivation is eradicated. He said that infrastructure had improved: new roads have been built and telecommunications have expanded. Recently, an Afghan-owned Coca-Cola plant was established. “A lot has happened in Afghanistan,” he said, “And a lot more needs to be done in the coming years.”

[Polybius]

Meanwhile, the liberal news media is now trying to paint Afghanistan as a "defeat".

[Names Ash Housewares]

"Making a distinction between genuine madrassas, or schools for Islamic studies, and those that taught violent radicalism,"


Good luck with that!

Are there any madrassas that don't produce suicide bombers?

[EGPWS]

Meanwhile, the liberal news media is now trying to paint Afghanistan as a "defeat".

They're trying to paint EVERYTHING foreign and domestic as a defeat!

It could be worse the MSM could be biased....

[nwctwx]

The biggest shame is that lots of people won't read it simply because of the way they choose to title it. While this is good to hear from an ally... In fact, the news is not all that great lately in Afghanistan.

[mdittmar]

In fact, the news is not all that great lately in Afghanistan.

Which news are you reading?

[nwctwx]

Which news are you reading?

Pretty much anything that looks interesting. ;-)

The headline is misleading, no question about that... we are nowhere near defeat.

[jrooney]

Actually the news out of Afghanistan has not been bad at all, unless you are a member of the taliban, whom have been killed in large numbers to the small losses of the coalition. The taliban has spent years trying to regroup their forces to have them killed off quickly. Their forces are dwindling in numbers more everyday due to those killed.

Just like criminals, the mafia, gang members worldwide, there will always be some taliban left but never enough to be a substantial threat. When they come out of the shadows to fight, they are killed by a superior fighting force in the coalition, that will be there for probably ten more years, until Afghanistan has stablized its democracy and grown its security forces. Afghanistan will never be the stronghold for terrorism it was once, like the trolls that slither these treads hope and members of the msm wish.

[DoughtyOne]

I thought the democrats claimed the rest of the world hated us these days. Oh well, I guess this is an anomoly.

The Kurds are running adds to thank us. The President of Afghanistan is thanking us. The President of Iraq wants us to stay indefinately...

Geez, is another democrap talking point going down for the count?

Quick democrats, your Blow-up One Note Annie is in need of more hot air.

[nwctwx]

like the trolls that slither these treads hope

I sure hope that wasn't directed at me. I've been a good standing member here for almost 5 yrs, thank you. I am well aware of the bias in the media, but I know how to pull facts out of the endless stream of nonsense.

We have killed a lot of Taliban... that doesn't change the fact that most of the country is still lawless. It has appeared in the past month or two that we might be making headway again after a particularly difficult few months over the summer.

These men we are fighting have been at war for decades. I think they have proven that despite some losses they can make it to the next day. I do agree that Afghanistan will never be the haven it once was.

When I look at things in Afghanistan and Iraq, I am not looking for someone to blame. I support both missions wholeheartedly. That said, I don't think it's always wise to tune out everything that is displeasing. I appreciate your insight, and will keep it in mind.

[Zeppelin]

I saw Karzai's interview on TV yesterday...I must say I was very impressed. A well-spoken, logical man. I pray the Afganis have him as a leader for years to come...

[jrooney]

No it wasn't not directed at you. Sorry about that. I am aware there are trolls here but I never once had that impression of you.

[Screamname]

If Bin Laden and terror was wiped off the face of the earth tomorrow they would still say it was a defeat. Why? Because they side with Bin Laden and terror. It`s as simple as that, and if anyone doubts that, if anyone thinks that is going over the top, name the last time you read or seen anything from the MSM that bashes Bin Laden and terror even 1/10000000th the amount that they bash Bush and the US. Imagine this was the 1940`s and the MSM was constantly relentlessly bashing Roosevelt while calling Nazis "innocent"...There is no way in hell they wouldn`t be seen as Nazi sympathizers. It`s the same today..The MSM are terror/al-qaeda/Bin Laden sympathizers, case closed.

[Havisham]

The Afghan president worked hard not to dissolve when he thought back to his visit with our wounded. At least he is a friend of America.

[jackv]

Very nice!! I notice dope jfrickenkerry was trash talking the way these were going in Afghanistan. Karzai disputed most of what the dork said. What a loser. I tend to believe the president of the country knows what he's talking about.

[Aussie Dasher]

Don't forget the Aussies - We're still there, too!

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

Hey guys...Mushareff is on Fox..Hannity.

[RedRover]

Thanks, Aussies!

[RedRover]

You'll be really interested in this.

[SevenofNine]

Take that Demos and MSN media LOL!

[jan in Colorado]

Good news ping!

The ENEMEDIA will never report this!

“[M]y message for the American soldiers in Afghanistan is that they have liberated us from tyranny, from terrorism, from oppression, from occupation into a country that is now moving towards prosperity, that is once again the home of all Afghans,” Karzai told reporters September 25 after a meeting with U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

We are doing the same for the people of Iraq. Of course the anti freedom, blame America crowd thinks Iraq would be better with Saddam still in power!

[Just A Nobody]

Thanks for the great ping Jan!

[Just A Nobody]

Good post J!

[jan in Colorado]

You are very welcome. It's fun to ping the 'rare' good news ping! ;o)

[Fred Nerks]

We are doing the same for the people of Iraq. Of course the anti freedom, blame America crowd thinks Iraq would be better with Saddam still in power! -----

Purple fingers=stick it up the marxist MSM!

[Just A Nobody]

We will just have to dig deeper and look harder for the good news! We know it's out there. ;*)

[jan in Colorado]

Yes, Fred, I LOVE the purple finger!

[jan in Colorado]

Yes, Justa, there is lots of good news!

[USF]

That's great! Thanks for the ping.

Of course the anti freedom, blame America crowd thinks Iraq would be better with Saddam still in power!

So many islamic dictators left to choose from, so little time!

Now, if only we could have someone like Karzai next door in Pakistan too... someone who will close down maddrasses not just for being anti-government, but because they are places that breed evil and destruction... someone who does not need their arm twisted very painfully in order for them to stand up and help us to fight global islamic terrorism...

[Just A Nobody]

Another classic!

[Just A Nobody]

I was pleasantly surprised to read of President Karzai's intent to close the breeding grounds of terror. Together we will win the WOT.

[fortunecookie]

I saw this, too, recently. I knew that the MSM were making it sound dire, but I wondered what Karzai really thought. Thanks for posting, mdittmar. Afghanistan has a long road ahead of them - eradicating poppy fields and ensuring madrassas don't 'go terrorist' will be difficult. But it's good to hear his words of thanks and hope for his country. I won't wait for the MSM twisting airing of Karzai's words...

[rightinthemiddle]

But, we're losing the war in Afghanistan. I heard it on CNN this morning.

[SueRae]

I saw the Kurdish ad only once...but it brought tears to my eyes. Very powerful. Of course, it wasn't on the aphabet networks.

Karzai is on the right track but it is a fine line he has to tread. I wonder who will be the next pres. of Afghanistan (Karzai has said he only wants to serve for one term) Cleaning up the Madrassas will be a tall (but necessary order). And it will have to be done by Muslims.

[Valin]

The ones that do never make the news.

[jrooney]

Thank you. :)

[DoughtyOne]

Yes, it was a great thing to see.

I would hope that a close associate of Karzai could step in.

His presentation this morning should leave no doubt that he's a very astute and capable man. Seems like it would be hard to find someone equal to him, or better.

[mdittmar]

Haven't,won't,or the Canadian troops.

[Former Dodger]

Thanks for the ping,Jan, great news!