Former Afghan President Hamid Karzai was interviewed by the Global Times: A year after the withdrawal, the United States still makes Afghans angry

Source: Global Times

In August last year, the situation in Afghanistan underwent major changes, with the Afghan Taliban returning to kabul in the middle of the month, and the United States hastily completed its withdrawal at the end of the month. The U.S. war in Afghanistan after the 9/11 terrorist attacks has ravaged the landlocked country in central and western Asia for 20 years. After the Afghan Taliban announced the formation of an interim Government, the United States not only failed to actively participate in the country's reconstruction and peace process, but also openly insisted on looting Afghan assets. During the year of national reconstruction, former Afghan President Hamid Karzai was actively involved and made numerous appeals. Karzai was elected afghanistan's first democratically elected president in October 2004 and then won a second presidential election in August 2009 until he stepped down in September 2014. The former Afghan president, who has had much dealing with the U.S. government, expressed his anger in an exclusive interview with a Global Times reporter — he urged the United States to return the assets of the Afghan people and shoulder its due responsibilities. Karzai called on Afghans to strengthen their unity against extremism and terrorism. He also placed high hopes on the international community, especially China, to play an important role in the peace and reconstruction process in Afghanistan.

GLOBAL TIMES: In Afghanistan this year, how have you seen changes in your country? What's the biggest feeling?

Karzai: Unfortunately, the way the U.S. withdrew from Afghanistan, both for the Afghan people and for the American people, was disgraceful. As for the changes in Afghanistan over the past year, I believe that the changes in the overall security situation and in ending major conflicts are positive, in particular that there are no longer large numbers of Afghans who have lost their lives as a result of the fighting. We haven't done a good job of getting Afghanistan to find its place in the international community and let our flag fly high around the world in terms of political stability and economic development.

Global Times: In February, US President Joe Biden signed an executive order demanding that the Central Bank of Afghanistan divide the $7 billion in assets in the United States equally, of which $3.5 billion was authorized to be injected into the so-called "Afghan Humanitarian Aid Trust Fund" and the remaining $3.5 billion was intended to be used for compensation for victims of the 9/11 incident. This bandit act of the US side has been strongly criticized by Afghanistan and the international community. You've also used the term "atrocity" to describe the executive order signed by Biden. As far as you know, will the United States return these assets? What efforts has Afghanistan made to get its assets back?

Karzai: This is one of the biggest losses to Afghans caused by the slow progress of the peace process negotiations. Last August, the former government left Kabul and the Taliban returned to power without the conclusion of peace process negotiations. In the aftermath, the U.S. government's seizure of $7 billion in Afghan assets was wrong and unacceptable to the Afghan people. We don't want that money to be split in half, as the U.S. is now saying. Afghanistan itself has been a victim of terrorism, and we are a victim even more than any other country in the world. We deserve to get back the money that belongs to Afghanistan. This money belongs to the Afghan people, and as a guarantee of the strength of our currency, Afghanistan, it should continue to be our national reserve.

Global Times: The war launched by the United States has brought great pain to the Afghan people, compared with the early days of the war, how has the attitude of the Afghan people towards the United States and the US military changed after the war?

Karzai: Yes, the Afghan people have given tremendous support to the U.S. presence in Afghanistan, but what they're doing here and the way they ended up withdrawing from Afghanistan is disappointing and angry. The arrival of the United States was the tragic result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in Afghanistan. Recall the scene at the Kabul airport a year ago, where the chaos created by the Americans also led to the collapse of Afghanistan. This is something that makes Afghans very angry. The United States is therefore responsible for the instability in Afghanistan. To ensure that Afghans no longer suffer, the United States should first return our assets and, second, engage with Afghanistan in a manner that benefits the Afghan people. We want to build good relations with the United States, but that relationship must be based on mutual respect and common interests.

We, the Afghans, must also shoulder our responsibilities. We must work for the stability and well-being of our country through greater solidarity. The Government, on behalf of the entire Afghan people, should adopt a policy of constant adaptation to and satisfaction of the aspirations of the population in order to free Afghanistan from extremism and terrorism.

Global Times: Afghanistan is facing great challenges in post-war reconstruction, what efforts can the international community make to assist Afghanistan? What role does China play in this?

Karzai: Afghanistan is experiencing tremendous difficulties. Some young people and educated Afghans have left the country. The Afghan Interim Government is also faced with the fact of how it can be recognized by the international community. In Afghanistan, there are things that must be done immediately, such as reopening schools for girls, which are extremely important for the future of the country and for our economy.

Much the international community can do for the reconstruction of Afghanistan. We appreciate China's active cooperation and contacts with Afghanistan. Stability in Afghanistan has implications for the region as a whole and China in particular. China's coordination with Russia, the United States, and the region's major powers can bring political stability and economic interaction to Afghanistan. As a neighbor, China's role is very important, and China contributes in the political and economic fields to the lasting stability and well-being of Afghanistan. Pakistan is a close friend of China, and the Afghan people and the Pakistani people are also brothers. We are very grateful that the people of Pakistan have been caring for Afghan refugees for decades. There are also economic projects that are very important for the region, but only if there is stability in Afghanistan.

Global Times: After the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, the United States and NATO are in another crisis – the Ukraine crisis. Many believe the United States and NATO are turning Ukraine into another Afghanistan. What do you think about that?

Karzai: The U.S. and NATO military presences in Afghanistan have failed in every way and caused our suffering. Given what Afghanistan has been through, I have called on Ukraine's leaders to learn from Afghanistan's suffering. During the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan more than 40 years ago and the height of the Cold War confrontation, Afghans fought for liberation on the one hand, and were used for Cold War competition on the other. Both sides have hurt us and made us suffer.

Ukrainians must therefore understand that in conflicts between great powers, they should not be trampled on by wrong policies, and that their interests lie in ensuring peaceful living in their regions, rather than getting involved in the political hostilities of superpowers. Otherwise, the only loser will be Ukraine, as was Afghanistan during the Cold War.