After a speech on Afghanistan to students in Herat, Ambassador Eikenberry added remarks that he said were “spoken from my heart.” He complained bitterly about American forces being “compared to occupiers” and being “told that they are only here to advance their own interests,” suggesting such comments could lead the United States to give up on Afghanistan.
Although he did not mention Karzai by name, Eikenberry was referring almost verbatim to harsh criticisms the Afghan president voiced Saturday and has expressed on previous occasions. “I must tell you that I find occasional comments from some of your leaders hurtful and inappropriate,” Eikenberry said.
Afghan leaders appear torn between a fear of losing US military and economic assistance and resenting their dependence on it, and Karzai has become increasingly outspoken in criticizing US actions.
Karzai has repeatedly denounced civilian casualties and night raids by NATO forces. He has come close to demanding that they leave the country and threatened to label them foreign occupiers. In contrast, he has rarely criticized the Taliban insurgents, despite their brutal campaign against his government and populace, instead inviting them to join the government as “sons of the soil.”
Karzai appeared to have crossed an unspoken line when, in a rambling speech to a youth convention in Kabul, he accused the United States and other Western allies of using his country for their own purposes.
He asserted that they take away more money than take give, pollute Afghanistan’s environment, and “dishonor” the Afghan people.
(아주경제 앤드류 이 기자)
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com