We want a friendly relationship but not to be under Pakistan’s thumb: Karzai

[Sabawoon_Noorzai]

Yeah, makes sense if he was ever valued more than a paper napkin. Why is this man still talking? Should go and live in a villa in Bandra, Mumbai.

That is the problem with politicians in these countries they become power obsessive. Mismanagement and corruption was the hallmark of his administration. He is probably thinking of making a comeback agian.

 

[Dalit]

For the record, this is the same guy who received suitcases filled with blood dollars from the CIA.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/29/world/asia/cia-delivers-cash-to-afghan-leaders-office.html?_r=0

 

[Menace2Society]

You are amazing! Have you ever looked at the map if Pakistan and Tajikistan had a border?

No country will trust their trade going through Lootistan.

There is a small slice of Afghanistan between Tajik and Pak but it is virtually a border. If Afghanistan think they can block off that access then PA will make NATO invasion seem like childs play.

 

[insight-out]

If Afghanistan is to prosper as a landlocked country then it must be build friendly relations with Pakistan. The onus is on them, not Pakistan.

I disagree.

Afghanistan is a sovereign country that deserves respect. Pakistan and Afghanistan have a long and checkered history before and after the USSR invasion. But to make progress, we have to put the past behind us. Pakistan needs to deal with Afghanistan as an equal. It is true that Afghanistan is a country that has been devastated by war, but the Afghans are still a nation worthy of respect.

Furthermore, from a strategic point of view, while Pakistan has a coastline, Afghanistan has a highly strategic geographical location (which is why they have never been left alone) which can provide access to Central Asia and beyond - not to mention vast, untapped mineral wealth.

The point is that we both have plenty to offer, and much to benefit from each other. That is the mindset with which we must approach any efforts to build a new relationship/partnership with Afghanistan.

 

[Menace2Society]

Furthermore, from a strategic point of view, while Pakistan has a coastline, Afghanistan has a highly strategic geographical location (which is why they have never been left alone) which can provide access to Central Asia and beyond - not to mention vast, untapped mineral wealth.

Yes Afghanistan has great potential, no one is doubting this.

However how long would it take to secure the country so trade can pass through without getting robbed?? Currently there are terrorists running around and literally owning territory. How is trade supposed to go through all of this? No insurer would even touch this at the moment.

It will take Afghanistan a good 30-40 years of consistent effort to gain control of the entire country and bring law and order to normal levels. For Afghanistan to do this they have to build friendly foreign relations with its neighbor.

The day Afghanistan reaches this point is the day they will be mature enough to not have people like Karzai talking crap.

Pakistan has already done enough for them. If they don't feel obliged to return the favor then who would do you think needs to make the effort?

 

[wiseone2]

For the record, this is the same guy who received suitcases filled with blood dollars from the CIA.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/29/world/asia/cia-delivers-cash-to-afghan-leaders-office.html?_r=0

What is wrong with getting dollars from the CIA ? Didn't Pakistanis get a lot more in the 1980s ?

 

[Hiptullha]

What is wrong with getting dollars from the CIA ? Didn't Pakistanis get a lot more in the 1980s ?

"We don't want to be under Pakistan's thumb. We prefer the USA."

 

[Umair Nawaz]

Disagree!
We are landlocked but we have border with 5 other countries. Our trade with Pakistan is highly unbalanced and Pakistan is not our main export market. Afghanistan unlike Pakistan in a regional sense is not a closed economy. Pakistan with nearly 200 million population with only one and half land-mass as Afghanistan, and people twice as Afghanistan's entire population living in poverty needs Afghanistan for access to the only market that is Afghanistan and Central Asia to prosper more than the other way around.
As a transit route Afghanistan has many options available at its disposal and it is working on diversification. If Pakistan and Afghanistan on the other hand work concertedly the two can economically transform and develop through the vast opportunities available to them. If this does not materialise we have other options.

I dont agree with u completely.
1) We are not geographically smaller themn Afghanistan, yes width wise we are 'skinny' but our map is rectangular in shape like a tall skinny man. Afghanistan is bigger in width wise but if we compare the total land mass both r almost equal.

2) As for the population is concern then obviously if u have larger population then it does mean more hungry mouths to feed but in such terms the people look at per capita income in which we are ahead.

3)And as for Central Asia routes are concernd then like Afghanistan we also have alternative routes ie from China and Iran. Central Asia is vital for the energy import but in total economic wise its not very feasible.

4)Also Afghanistan has just resurfaced so obviously its trade will be negative with not just us but its every neighbore. As time progresses it make its own base economy then it will be able to export more to the countries surrounding it.


BTW a personal question to u.....What do u think about this co-operation b/w Pakistan-Afghanistan?

 

[Hurter]

Chup Karzai

 

[Dalit]

What is wrong with getting dollars from the CIA ? Didn't Pakistanis get a lot more in the 1980s ?

Take your Afghans buddy to India. We don't want them on our soil.

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

karzai the puppet is old news..nobody cares what he has to say anymore. He should take his medicine for his mental problems and just consider a quiet, secluded life till he heads to the coffin.

what a has-been

We don't want a relationship at all. Time to repatriate all Afghans. We have done more than enough.

A relationship is in our interests. Stabbing ourselves in the foot and allowing our enemies to use Afghanistan to stab us again is not. In order to counter that, we need a working relationship with the Afghan stake-holders - the ones that matter & the ones with whom we can find areas of mutual interest.

I do agree - refugees, especially the ones in the country illegally - should be repatriated. In many cases unfortunately it's not so easy

 

[AbeeraKhan12]

This guy sold Afghanistan to America and look hows he talking now

 

[Abu Zolfiqar]

Tomorrow this guy will be talking to another newspaper and saying Pakistanis are our enemy's. The day after tomorrow he'l be talking to yet another newspaper telling them Pakistan and Afghanistan are brothers. Seriously this guy is messed up. Ashraf Ghani is a man with credentials. He is actually doing something for his country. Karzai is a joker compared to him.

Ex-U.N. envoy: Karzai may have drug problem - World news - South and Central Asia - Afghanistan | NBC News

US-Afghan relations sink further as Hamid Karzai accused of drug abuse | World news | The Guardian

Hamid Karzai and manic depression: Lots of politicians suffer from bipolar disorder – Telegraph Blogs


he's bi-polar and had drug addictions......his career's been destroyed, he's been abandoned by all except 1 irrelevant country......His brother was a drug baron with ties to those behind the Kabul bank scandal. That's his legacy to his people




"He's prone to tirades, he can be very emotional, act impulsively," Galbraith said on MSNBC television. "In fact some of the palace insiders say that he has a certain fondness for some of Afghanistan's most profitable exports."

 

[wiseone2]

Take your Afghans buddy to India. We don't want them on our soil.

if you bungled your afghan policy do not blame others

This guy sold Afghanistan to America and look hows he talking now

i would not be too hard on him considering the fact a lot of your generals are willing to sell to america

 

[krash]

Disagree!

We are landlocked but we have border with 5 other countries. Our trade with Pakistan is highly unbalanced and Pakistan is not our main export market. Afghanistan unlike Pakistan in a regional sense is not a closed economy. Pakistan with nearly 200 million population with only one and half land-mass as Afghanistan, and people twice as Afghanistan's entire population living in poverty needs Afghanistan for access to the only market that is Afghanistan and Central Asia to prosper more than the other way around.

As a transit route Afghanistan has many options available at its disposal and it is working on diversification. If Pakistan and Afghanistan on the other hand work concertedly the two can economically transform and develop through the vast opportunities available to them. If this does not materialise we have other options.

Incorrect. Pakistan's route to Central Asia is through China. The roads, rail tracks, pipelines have already been built. It would be some decades before anyone would trust their trade through Afghanistan let alone the complete absence of any transportation infrastructure there.

As far as Afghanistan's route to the sea is concerned; it was shown amply well how feasible the other routes are (barring Iran) when Pakistan blocked NATO supplies through its ports.