By Roger Kostmayer

The US rescued Afghanistan and President Hamid Karzai from the grip of the Taliban and al Qaeda, and protected them for more than ten years at the cost of American lives and billions of dollars – much of which ended up in the pockets of Karzai and his relatives.  Pres. Karzai quickly revealed himself to be corrupt, incompetent and emotionally unstable – a difficult trifecta.  Former senator and current Secy of State John Kerry had to serve as the “karzai whisperer” trying to keep the relationship on track. Karzai has now crossed the line and become an unacceptable liability, and the US should drop the lame duck president like a hot potato.

The US and Karzai just negotiated a long term security agreement, after which Karzai continued to make outrageous demands (e.g. release all Gitmo prisoners) and publicly bragged the US was bluffing and would never pull out in 2014.  After being warned that he must sign the security agreement now to assure the US would stay, Karzai announced he would wait until well into next year.  Even the Afghans seem stunned by his effronteries.

 

It’s time to end Karzai’s brinkmanship and make it clear that the US doesn’t bluff nor will we deal with him any more.  Unless responsible Afghans step forward, the US should leave Afghanistan in 2014 and discontinue the billions in aid.  Instead of allowing Karzai to continue to play us, the US should simply announce our terms and what they must do for us to reconsider staying and supporting them.  Period.

 

The fact that without US support Afghanistan faces defeat, a civil war and a Taliban resurgence may help the next leader focus on improving relationships and reducing corruption.  Americans wish the Afghans’ well, and they deserve better, but we will be happy to save US lives, invest billions more in our homeland, and be free of Karzai’s arrogance.

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