Karzai: War Was a Failure, But We Like the Healthcare, Schools, Roads We Got

Afghan President Hamid Karzai said that the war on terror has been a failure in terms of security, but likes the health services, education, roads, and economic improvement brought by the West.

Karzai told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on the first episode of her new show “there has been a failure in providing security to Afghanistan or in keeping the Afghan hearts and minds in a matter that would satisfy Afghans.”

“As I have been saying for the — for the last many years, the war on terrorism has not been conducted satisfactorily from the point of view of Afghanistan. The sanctuaries were not addressed, the training grounds were not addressed,” Karzai said. “And as I have been saying, the war on terrorism was not and is not in the Afghan villages or by causing harm to the Afghan people.”

Amanpour asked Karzai about how his “stock has plummeted” in the West. “Where you were once the hero, standing ovations, freedom fighter, now people cannot wait to see the back of Afghanistan and get the heck out,” she said. “Do understand that?”

Karzai expressed confidence that after he’s left the presidency, “the Taliban will not return to take power in Afghanistan.”

“That is gone,” he said. “That is done with. I wouldn’t have told you this three years ago. But I can tell you this today, with confidence, that the Afghan people will not allow that.”

He said he will “definitely not” stand for re-election.

“I see a lot of Western politicians and media talking about the president, plotting to stay,” Karzai said. “No.”

“Yes, we understand that very well and we view it differently, though,” Karzai responded. “…Our country is being used. Our soil is being used. Our people are sacrificing their lives every day. We cannot be judged by the prism that you have in the West or in the United States.”