Hamid Karzai Sworn in As Afghan President

[igloo]

Hamid Karzai Sworn in As Afghan President

By STEPHEN GRAHAM, Associated Press Writer

KABUL, Afghanistan - Hamid Karzai was sworn in Tuesday as Afghanistan (news - web sites)'s first popularly elected president, calling for sustained help from the international community to bolster a young democracy that still faces the twin threats of terrorism and drugs.

The U.S.-backed leader, wearing a traditional green robe and a black lambskin hat, took the oath of office in a solemn ceremony in a restored hall of the war-damaged former royal palace.

Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites), the highest-ranking American official to visit Afghanistan since the fall of the Taliban in 2001, and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld were among those who gave Karzai a standing ovation when he arrived.

Karzai repeated the oath of allegiance read to him by Afghanistan's white-bearded chief justice, Fazl Hadi Shinwari. He then swore in his two vice presidents, Ahmad Zia Massood and Karim Khalili, members of the country's two largest ethnic minorities.

Kabul was calm amid massive security for the ceremony, but overnight attacks near the Pakistani frontier that left 12 dead provided a strong reminder of threats to the nation's stability.

In his inaugural address, Karzai said the hopes of ordinary Afghans would drive him during what is likely to be a tough five-year term. He reiterated his main pledges — cracking down on the booming opium trade, disarming militias and lifting living standards.

"We have now left a hard and dark past behind us and today we are opening a new chapter in our history in a spirit of friendship with the international community," Karzai said, speaking in Pashto and Dari, Afghanistan's two main languages.

He said the fight against terrorism was "not yet over" and urged continued international aid and cooperation to defeat increasing links between extremists and drug-trafficking.

"The same cooperation has led to the rebuilding of the Afghan state and significant progress in restoring peace, stability and security to our country."

Wary of attacks by Taliban or al-Qaida militants, Afghan and international forces launched their biggest security operation since the Oct. 9 election that gave Karzai, who had been interim leader, a landslide victory.

Hours before the ceremony, dozens of insurgents armed with assault rifles and rockets attacked an Afghan military base in Khost province, sparking a firefight that left four Afghan soldiers and at least six militants dead, an Afghan commander said.

Also in Khost, insurgents opened fire on a U.S. patrol, which returned fire and killed two of the assailants, U.S. spokesman Maj. Mark McCann said. No Americans were reported hurt.

Militants also tried to launch a rocket toward Kabul on Monday evening, but it landed harmlessly on a cattle farm outside the city limits, a NATO (news - web sites) spokesman said.

Cheney, arriving at the main U.S. base north of Kabul earlier Tuesday, congratulated some of the 18,000 U.S. troops here for helping give democracy a chance to take root.

"For the first time the people of this country are looking confident about the future of freedom and peace," Cheney said. "Freedom still has enemies here in Afghanistan, and you are here to make those enemies miserable."

The establishment of a democracy in Kabul was necessary to Afghanistan's "basic, fundamental transformation," Cheney said later, speaking on NBC's "Today" show.

"It has to happen, if you will, if we're going to win the war on terrorism," Cheney added. Democracies give rise to people who "are focused on their own lives and focused on building a free society," he said.

Before the ceremony, Karzai thanked the United States, his main sponsor, for its help.

"Without that help, Afghanistan would be in the hands of terrorists," he said. "Terrorism as a force is gone. As individuals they are all around and we will continue to look for them."

The list of 150 foreign dignitaries included Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi and Pakistan's Interior Minister, Aftab Khan Sherpao. Lakhdar Brahimi, special adviser to U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan (news - web sites), represented the world body.

Rumsfeld cautioned that the military mission here is not over.

"There are still groups, extremists, that would like to take this country back — the Taliban, the al-Qaida — and use it for a base for terrorist activities around the world as they did on 9/11," Rumsfeld told a group of special forces soldiers at Bagram. "But it's not going to happen."

Annan has warned in a report to the U.N. Security Council that unless Karzai tackles Afghanistan's surge in opium production and its arms proliferation, much of its recent progress could be seriously undermined and "the economy may well be subsumed by the illicit drugs industry."

The inauguration was the culmination of a three-year drive to transform Afghanistan from a training ground for al-Qaida extremists into a moderate Islamic republic.

Afghans have adopted a new constitution labeled by the United States as the most progressive in the region and held their first Western-style vote, despite militant attacks that killed at least 15 election workers.

Some 3 million Afghan refugees displaced by more than two decades of warfare have returned home, and women and girls are back in jobs and schools from which they were barred under the previous regime. The economy is growing strongly.

But insurgents continue to harass U.S. and Afghan forces across a broad swath of the south and east. American officials expect to keep their force strength at about 18,000 at least until after parliamentary elections slated for the spring.

Karzai has said the drug economy, which now accounts for an estimated one-third of national income, is a bigger threat than the insurgents and will be the top priority for the coming years.

U.N. surveys show cultivation of opium poppy in Afghanistan, from which most of the world's heroin is refined, jumped more than 60 percent this year, and warn that drug smuggling mafias are taking an iron grip on the country.

[mursa]

..and with this event , everything in Afghanistan is solved ....opium fields have suddenly wilted down and died and the Taliban have miraculously immigrated to nearby Tibet to become monks .

[igloo]

..and with this event , everything in Afghanistan is solved ....opium fields have suddenly wilted down and died and the Taliban have miraculously immigrated to nearby Tibet to become monks .

And with your statement, you once again confirm you are a blubbering imbecile with the IQ of a rotted cunt, which actually drips at any news of U.S. negativity, and once again, you have painted this messageboard with your idiocy and lack of intellect. Congrats bafoon---aspiring to be Michael Moore's vagina is no way to go through life mental midget.

BTW clownboy, for some and those more important and smarter than you, the event does mean something:

Some 3 million Afghan refugees displaced by more than two decades of warfare have returned home, and women and girls are back in jobs and schools from which they were barred under the previous regime. The economy is growing strongly.

[jtk4]

The economy is growing strongly.

and is still dwarfed by the billion dollar opium industry.

I think we should wait before we all start sucking are own dicks.

[igloo]

and is still dwarfed by the billion dollar opium industry.

I think we should wait before we all start sucking are own dicks.

And I also think we should not be pissing over what is an historical moment, and a change for the better.....and somethig called hope, somthing that country has not had in a long time...

Are things perfect, of course not....and never will be...nothing ever is....but things are better, and the future is looking brighter.........and to discount that is simply being a cunt..

No one is sucking their own dicks...the article posted contained both the good and the bad.........

[mursa]

And with your statement, you once again confirm you are a blubbering imbecile with the IQ of a rotted cunt, which actually drips at any news of U.S. negativity, and once again, you have painted this messageboard with your idiocy and lack of intellect. Congrats bafoon---aspiring to be Michael Moore's vagina is no way to go through life mental midget.

BTW clownboy, for some and those more important and smarter than you, the event does mean something:

Some 3 million Afghan refugees displaced by more than two decades of warfare have returned home, and women and girls are back in jobs and schools from which they were barred under the previous regime. The economy is growing strongly.

AWWWWWWWWWWWW how fitting, such a war mongering american idiot like yourself caring about afghan women and if they are going to school ... YOU ARE A MONGOL ....why don't you go suck on a fentanyl lollypop you sheep .

Case closed .

[igloo]

AWWWWWWWWWWWW how fitting, such a war mongering american idiot like yourself caring about afghan women and if they are going to school ... YOU ARE A MONGOL ....why don't you go suck on a fentanyl lollypop you sheep .

Case closed .

Mental midget......just stop blabbing......no need to try and enhance your position as resident schmuck....it is well established....

[jtk4]

And I also think we should not be pissing over what is an historical moment, and a change for the better.....and somethig called hope, somthing that country has not had in a long time...

Are things perfect, of course not....and never will be...nothing ever is....but things are better, and the future is looking brighter.........and to discount that is simply being a cunt..

No one is sucking their own dicks...the article posted contained both the good and the bad.........

The problem is i think we will need to keep troops there so it does not turn into columbia. the drug dealers are going to have a lot more money then the government so I do not see how they , without our help, will be able to stop them. Also these warlords/druglords if they are smart will start giving money to the people thus creating a giant fucking mess, just like columbia.

[igloo]

The problem is i think we will need to keep troops there so it does not turn into columbia. the drug dealers are going to have a lot more money then the government so I do not see how they , without our help, will be able to stop them. Also these warlords/druglords if they are smart will start giving money to the people thus creating a giant fucking mess, just like columbia.

It certainly could....and also, it may not as well..........bottom line. Things are better than what they were, and there is real hope that things will continue to progress.......just the fact that there is hope is progress.......the drug production certainly needs to be addressed.....and not just by us, but by the international community.....but again, the question is if the intl community will step up above and beyond the token or bare minimum effort....

[mursa]

Mental midget......just stop blabbing......no need to try and enhance your position as resident schmuck....it is well established....

well my fellow four legged mountain grazer , your well established as the resident right wing propogandist , and add to it your a loser with no life ( just check out your post count on here, lol ) .

hows the fentanly hitting you btw ?

[igloo]

well my fellow four legged mountain grazer , your well established as the resident right wing propogandist , and add to it your a loser with no life ( just check out your post count on here, lol ) .

hows the fentanly hitting you btw ?

OK mursa....another excellent point by you ...now please shut the fuck up already..........your tired ..

ps. Calling someone a loser because of their post count?...Are you sure you want to go down that path?.....you really need to stop displaying your stupidity, we are well aware of it you tool...

[jtk4]

It certainly could....and also, it may not as well..........bottom line. Things are better than what they were, and there is real hope that things will continue to progress.......just the fact that there is hope is progress.......the drug production certainly needs to be addressed.....and not just by us, but by the international community.....but again, the question is if the intl community will step up above and beyond the token or bare minimum effort....

I agree hope is good. The drug production needs to stop and i think there will be more pressure then in columbia, but money talks. The region is so unstable and i see a civil war if the government tries to fuck with the opium. Lets just say I am glad I live here.

[mursa]

OK mursa....another excellent point by you ...now please shut the fuck up already..........your tired ..

ps. Calling someone a loser because of their post count?...Are you sure you want to go down that path?.....you really need to stop displaying your stupidity, we are well aware of it you tool...

I know you are but what am I ....

[igloo]

December 13, 2004, 8:28 a.m.

They Chose Freedom

Afghanistan and the battle of ideas.

Hamid Karzai's inauguration December 7 as Afghanistan's first democratically elected president was a milestone in Coalition efforts to defeat terrorism, and more broadly in the mission to bring popular forms of governance to countries that have been exploited by terrorists and dictators alike. The press pays little attention to Afghanistan, certainly less than to Iraq; one usually hears news from that corner of the world only when it is bad. But the advent of the Karzai presidency is unreservedly good news.

Predictions of failure in Afghanistan have been easy to come by since the country was liberated in the fall of 2001 during Operation Enduring Freedom. Thus far, it seems the operation was aptly named; despite predictions to the contrary, freedom is enduring. It is sadly out of fashion in our country to be publicly optimistic, but the Afghan people believe in overwhelming numbers that the situation in their country is on the right track and will keep improving. An election-day poll taken by the International Republican Institute showed that 89 percent of Afghan voters think things are on the right track, and 92 percent believed the next year would show even more improvement. Their number-one priority for the new president was not reconstituting the Taliban way of life — their main concern was disarming warlords who might pose a future threat to their new-won liberty.

There is widespread discussion in U.S. policy circles about the need to engage in the battle of ideas, to undercut the ideological basis for terrorism. Policymakers have been grappling with this question for several years. The Defense Science Board recently released a major study on this topic under the rubric of "strategic communication." It makes some useful suggestions on how to construct and deliver our message to the world. Engaging on the ideological level is useful, and not as difficult as one might think. Our ideas already win hands down with most people. When individuals are free to choose, as the Afghans are, they tend to choose freedom. We have a much better product to sell than the terrorists. Our best answer to any given radical Islamist fatwah is the Declaration of Independence.

To Afghans the "battle of ideas" is not an abstraction, an intellectual exercise, or a policy debate. In the last 25 years they were subjected to two grand experiments in coercive utopianism that laid their homeland waste. The first was undertaken by the Soviet Union in the 1980s to bring socialism to Afghanistan. The Soviets became embroiled in a ten-year guerilla war that eventually proved too much for them to handle. The root cause of the insurgency was that the socialist governments they set up failed to gain legitimacy in the eyes of the Afghan people. The Afghans did not want to live as members of the red empire, with all that portended. Later the Taliban regime erected a totalitarian theocracy every bit as harsh as the Soviet-backed government, probably more so in terms of its impact on the daily lives of the Afghan people. They sought to impose the same type of human purity that their guest and patron Osama bin Laden has lately been preaching to the rest of the Muslim world, with few takers. It is hard to imagine the degradation of daily life under the Taliban (I recommend seeing the film Osama, according to an extensive survey released last summer by the Asia Foundation) and U.S. military forces (67-percent approval) in their country. In fact, even among those who feel that Afghanistan was on the wrong track, only 14 percent mentioned Western or foreign influence as being the cause of their country's problems.

The Afghan people have already seen the future promised by the radical Islamists, a society in which most forms of human expression are forbidden, women are chattel, and one is free to articulate any idea so long as it is written in the Koran or Hadith. They do not want it back. The Afghan people are tired of conflict and of being subjected to the experiments of the social planners. With our help, they have been given an opportunity to choose freedom, and to build a society that seeks true civic welfare rather than a chimerical moral perfection. President Karzai's administration will benefit in the coming years from the sense of commitment in Afghanistan to the process of democracy, and the legitimacy derived from popular sovereignty. And if one wants to join battle on the level of ideas, forget trying to engage the Islamists in a theological debate on the interpretation of a penumbra of a Koranic verse. Just say, "Go tell it to the Afghans."

— James S. Robbins is senior fellow in national-security affairs at the American Foreign Policy Council and an NRO contributor.

[babystewie]

--------------------------------

"Afghanistan's new "democratic" president is the world's most expensive...Karzai rules only downtown Kabul, protected by 200 U.S. bodyguards, 17,000 U.S. troops and a token NATO force that includes Canadians. It costs Washington $1.6 billion US monthly to keep Karzai

in power. Without the foreign troops' bayonets, Karzai's little puppet regime would quickly be swept away."

The real power behind figurehead Karzai is the Northern Alliance, the rump of the old Afghan Communist Party, made up of Tajiks and Uzbeks.

Afghanistan's former Taliban rulers almost totally ended poppy/heroin production. Today, America's Northern Alliance communist allies have restored the multibillion-dollar drug trade and are now said to control

95% of the world heroin supply. As in Indochina, the U.S. again finds itself in bed with major drug dealers while espousing a platitudinous "war on drugs."

Excerpted from an article published on Sunday, December 12, 2004 by the Toronto Sun "U.S. Caught in Kabul" by Eric Margolis

[igloo]

--------------------------------

"

Excerpted from an article published on Sunday, December 12, 2004 by the Toronto Sun "U.S. Caught in Kabul" by Eric Margolis

I think this viewpoint was written specifically with people like you in mind:

The Afghan Miracle

Why isn't this stunning U.S. success appreciated?

By Charles Krauthammer

Friday, December 10, 2004; Page A37

"Miracle begets yawn" has been the American reaction to the inauguration of Hamid Karzai as president of Afghanistan. Before our astonishing success in Afghanistan goes completely down the memory hole, let's recall some very recent history.

For almost a decade before Sept. 11, we did absolutely nothing about Afghanistan. A few cruise missiles hurled into empty tents, followed by expressions of satisfaction about the "message" we had sent. It was, in fact, a message of utter passivity and unseriousness.

Then comes our Pearl Harbor, and the sleeping giant awakens. Within 100 days, al Qaeda is routed and the Taliban overthrown. Then the first election in Afghanistan's history. Now the inauguration of a deeply respected democrat who, upon being sworn in as the legitimate president of his country, thanks America for its liberation.

This in Afghanistan, which only three years ago was not just hostile but untouchable. What do liberals have to say about this singular achievement by the Bush administration? That Afghanistan is growing poppies.

Good grief. This is news? "Afghanistan grows poppies" is the sun rising in the east. "Afghanistan inaugurates democratically elected president" is the sun rising in the west. Afghanistan has always grown poppies. What is President Bush supposed to do? Send 100,000 GIs to eradicate the crop and incite a popular rebellion?

The other complaint is that Karzai really does not rule the whole country. Again, the sun rises in the east. Afghanistan has never had a government that controlled the whole country. It has always had a central government weak by Western standards.

But Afghanistan's decentralized system works. Karzai controls Kabul, most of the major cities and much in between. And he is successfully leveraging his power to gradually extend his authority as he creates entirely new federal institutions and an entirely new military.

Again, what should Bush have done? Send another 100,000 GIs to put down warlords with local roots, local legitimacy and a ton of firepower?

What has happened in Afghanistan is nothing short of a miracle. Who is responsible for it? The New York Times gives the major credit to "the Afghan people" with their "courage and commitment." Courage and commitment there was, but the courage and commitment were curiously imperceptible until this administration conceived a radical war plan, executed it brilliantly, liberated the country and created from scratch the structures of democracy.

The interesting question is: If we succeeded in Afghanistan, why haven't we in Iraq? One would have thought Afghanistan, with its obviously less-developed human and industrial infrastructure, to be far less conducive to democracy. It is more tribal, more primitive and has even less history of modern political development.

Yet that may have been an advantage. Iraq has for decades been exposed to the ideas of political modernism -- fascism and socialism as transmuted through Baathism (heavily influenced by the European political winds of the 1920s and '30s) to which Saddam Hussein added the higher totalitarianism of his hero, Stalin. This history has succeeded in devaluing and delegitimizing secular ideologies, including liberal-democratic ones. In contrast, Afghanistan had suffered under years of appalling theocratic rule, which helped to legitimize the kind of secularist democracy that Karzai represents.

Furthermore, Afghanistan had the ironic advantage of having just come out of a quarter-century of civil war. As in Europe after World War II, the exhaustion that follows is conducive to pursuing power by peaceful political means. In contrast, Iraq's Baathists, fresh from 30 years of unimpeded looting and killing, are quite prepared to ignite a civil war in pursuit of the power and privileges they have lost.

And, finally, Afghanistan's neighbors have largely kept out of the postwar reconstruction. The most powerful and active neighbor, Pakistan, was made an ally in this effort and has supported the democracy project.

Iraq's neighbors are hostile to the United States and to our democratic project. The Baathist insurgents are heavily supported by Syria, from which some of the sheltered leadership provides funding and operational directives for guerrilla actions in Iraq. Behind Syria stands the Arab League, composed mostly of Sunni monarchs and dictators, carrying water for Iraq's Sunni minority, which ruled for 80 years.

On the other side is Iran, funneling money, fighters and, by some reports, even voters (waves of immigrants) to help elect not only a Shiite government but a theocratic Shiite government. As Iraq becomes the cockpit for the regional rivalries, internal divisions are greatly exacerbated.

This does not mean we cannot succeed. It does mean that Iraq will be very difficult. It also means that against all expectations, Afghanistan is the first graduate of the Bush Doctrine of spreading democracy in rather hostile places. A success so remarkable and an end so improbable merit at least a moment of celebration.

[babystewie]

....

[igloo]

Yep, and as soon as our tax dollars leave the country will fall back to ruins. We need to get O.Bin.Ladin and leave, but that ain`t going to happen anytime soon - now is it? We knocked them back past the stoneage and then went over to Iraq for NO real reason, thus we`re over working the troops in running 2 war fronts.

Afghanistan was a valid war and if we had just stayed there we most likely would have found O.Bin.ladin by now.

Your just some kid who thinks this shit is cool- I grew up watching bodybags on the evening news as my friends parents cried for their sons, GIVE me 1 good reason why we attacked IRAQ? WMD? nope , 9/11? nope, ???? 1 real reason as to why.

We just need to find OBL and leave , huh.....brilliant thinking on your part.........so, we just knocked Afghanistan back to the stone age.....the stone age, huh?.....wow, two back-to-back strokes of genius by you.....

I am glad you at least think Afghanistan was a valid war.......but you say that we knocked them past the stone age......interesting thought process by you.....let's get past the stupidity of your stone age comment for a moment, and forget for a moment the state of Afghanistan before we invaded........

How do you believe the U.S. should have conducted the war in Afghanistan?

Please, spill your ignorance and stupidity for all to see......discuss how you would have conducted the war in Afghanistan.......

Please also do some research and understand why the U.S. used the military footprint it used, and why it was the most effective and ONLY way to go..........plenty of reasons and justifications why, even some a simpleton like you can understand.......but don't go on my word, plenty of reading material out there to explain to to you (get an adult to help you with teh big words)...

And I am just a little kid who thinks this is cool?..... ...

I think you showed by your post how ignorant and "little kid" your thinking is...........

BTW--I have family and friends in the military....it is not mutually exclusive to you.........

[babystewie]

....

[tres-b]

Problems abroad become problems at home. By pushing for democracy in a region that is known for theocracies and monarchies, the US is changing politics in the Middle East forever.

The majority of Afghan people do not hate us. In fact, we are regarded as liberators. Iraq is a different story although it is my feeling that the majority of Iraqi's will be behind the democratic govt that they are about to elect. As soon as this happens, the terrorists lurking in the shadows will have far less places to hide.

[igloo]

YES the freakin stone age, the country is a wasteland. Do you really think when we leave they will keep whatever puppet we put into power? History will tell you -NO. So you plan on keeping troops there forever? sorta like , Japan,Germany,ect... yeah that will go over real well with the locals.

If you think we did a great job then where is O.Bin.Ladin? Maybe if we had placed all of our troops where the real enemy was than the odds are O.B.Ladin would be caught/dead by now. But nooo Bush just had to attack Iraq, wasting time/money/lives and its not over yet nor will it be anytime soon. All the money wasted there could have been put to better use in OUR own backyard or finding O.B.Ladin. If you think the Paki`s give a rats azz about our war your nuts, many of the Paki. Intel is friendly with O.B.Ladin.

BTW they DO have nukes, and most don`t like the USA, its just a matter of time.....

Now, why did we attack Iraq? WMD? , 9/11?

I`am done with your right vs left crap sometimes BOTH PARTIES are wrong.Its time we stop giving money to countries that fuckin hate us and everything we stand for, we give Billions every yr and for what? Time to take care of our own problems at home.

babystewie.............you need to get a tad more educated and informed.......seriously......you can not be more wrong with respects to Afghanistan..............

[chris817]

Problems abroad become problems at home. By pushing for democracy in a region that is known for theocracies and monarchies, the US is changing politics in the Middle East forever.

We do not know we are changing things forever? Only time will tell with that

WE are pushing for democracy but who knows if the citizens of Iraq want our democracy

[tres-b]

We do not know we are changing things forever? Only time will tell with that

WE are pushing for democracy but who knows if the citizens of Iraq want our democracy

It doesnt have to be "our" democracy. The people of Iraq deserve the chance to choose their leaders and not live in fear of Saddam.

[jtk4]

It doesnt have to be "our" democracy. The people of Iraq deserve the chance to choose their leaders and not live in fear of Saddam.

well as long as we approve whoever they choose.

[bigpoppanils]

It doesnt have to be "our" democracy. The people of Iraq deserve the chance to choose their leaders and not live in fear of Saddam.

what if they choose an anti-american religious theocracy?