105-424: United States invasion of Afghanistan Hamid Karzai ( / ˈ h æ m ɪ d ˈ k ɑːr z aɪ / ; Pashto / Persian : حامد کرزی , Pashto pronunciation: [ˈhɑmɪd karˈzai] , Dari pronunciation: [ˈhɒːmɪd kaɾzeˈiː] ; born 24 December 1957) is an Afghan politician who served as the fourth president of Afghanistan from July 2002 to September 2014, including as the first elected president of
210-565: A friendly fire missile attack by U.S. Air Force pilots in southern Afghanistan. The group suffered injuries and was treated in the United States; Karzai received injuries to his facial nerves, as can sometimes be noticed during his speeches. In December 2001, political leaders gathered in Germany to agree on new leadership structures. Under 5 December Bonn Agreement , they formed an Interim Administration and named Karzai Chairman of
315-658: A general election or loya jirga . Karzai was born on 24 December 1957 in the Karz area of Kandahar City in southern Afghanistan. He is an ethnic Pashtun descended from the khans , or traditional chiefs, of the Popalzai Pashtun tribe . His father, Abdul Ahad Karzai , served as the Deputy Speaker of the Afghan Parliament during the 1960s. His grandfather, Khair Mohammad Khan, had fought in
420-514: A mosque in Quetta. Reports suggest that the Taliban carried out the assassination. Following this incident, Karzai took over as khan of the tribe and decided to work closely with the anti-Taliban Northern Alliance , which was led by Ahmad Shah Massoud . In 2000 and 2001, he travelled to Europe and the United States to help gather support for the anti-Taliban movement. "Massoud and Karzai warned
525-682: A second round run-off vote , which was scheduled for 7 November 2009. During the runoff, he secured the support of influential power brokers, including the Ismailis in Afghanistan, represented locally by Sayed Mansur Naderi . Naderi facilitated two significant campaign rallies for him, one in Kayan, his birthplace, and another in the Kabul stadium. Both events attracted nearly a hundred thousand attendees, including men, women, and youths, demonstrating
630-477: A "corrupt" government that was tolerated by the United States. In June 2010, Karzai travelled to Japan for a five-day visit where the two nations discussed a new aid provided by the hosting nation and the untapped mineral resources recently announced. Karzai invited Japanese companies such as Mitsubishi and others to invest in Afghan mining projects. He told Japanese officials that Japan would be given priority in
735-470: A "major fight" he had with American military officials back in 2007, when Karzai repeatedly told them: "If you want to fight terrorism and bad people, I won't stop you, but please leave the Afghan people alone". In a retrospective interview, Karzai claimed he felt that he was being used as a tool by the United States. Further strain in relations with the United States resulted in 2014, when Afghanistan, joined Cuba, Nicaragua, North Korea, Syria, and Venezuela as
840-508: A 2013 interview with Al Jazeera , Karzai called the Taliban his 'brothers'. He claimed that the Afghan government and Afghan people did not want to eliminate the Taliban, but rather reintegrate the Taliban into society. It was not the first time he called the Taliban his brothers. Previously he called them brothers during his victory speech in 2009, a day after he was declared president. On 14 September 2015, provincial police chief Gen. Daud Ahmadi claimed that Hamid Karzai had stopped an attack on
945-632: A 29-member governing committee. He was sworn in as the leader on 22 December. The loya jirga of 13 June 2002 appointed Karzai as Interim President of the new position as President of the Afghan Transitional Administration . Former members of the Northern Alliance remained extremely influential, most notably Vice President Mohammed Fahim , who also served as the Defense Minister . Karzai re-enacted
1050-612: A BBC interview, "These Arabs, together with their foreign supporters and the Taliban, destroyed miles and miles of homes and orchards and vineyards ... They have killed Afghans. They have trained their guns on Afghan lives ... We want them out." Karzai had been a US CIA contact, and was well regarded by the CIA. After the 7 October 2001 launch of Operation Enduring Freedom , the United Front (Northern Alliance) worked with teams of U.S. special forces and together they overthrew
1155-482: A Taliban training camp in Logar province of Afghanistan. The camp was used as a launching pad and a military operation was being planned to deal with the camp. However, Karzai stopped them from attacking the camp. Ahmadi further claimed there were around 200 militants who were being trained at the camp at that time. After the 2017 Nangarhar airstrike , Karzai condemned his successor, President Ashraf Ghani , labeling him
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#17327725070981260-540: A bombing, Karzai asserted that his government "can no longer accept" casualties caused by U.S. and NATO operations. In September 2006, Karzai told the United Nations General Assembly that Afghanistan has become the "worst victim" of terrorism. Karzai said terrorism is rebounding in his country, with militants infiltrating the borders to wage attacks on civilians. He stated, "This does not have its seeds alone in Afghanistan. Military action in
1365-461: A close relationship with the Taliban. However some key Taliban members, such as the foreign minister Wakil Muttawakil , disapproved of the alliance with al-Qaeda because bin Laden's terrorist activities were complicating the Taliban's quest for international recognition of their government. In 2000, Muhammad Umar visited bin Laden and forbade him from attacking the United States while he was a guest of
1470-471: A formal ceremony in Kabul. Many interpreted the ceremony as a symbolically important "new start" for the war-torn nation. Notable guests at the inauguration included the country's former King, Zahir Shah , three former U.S. presidents, and U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney . After winning a democratic mandate in the 2004 election, it was thought that Karzai would pursue a more aggressively reformist path in 2005. However, Karzai has proved to be more cautious than
1575-515: A large multinational force , including Afghanistan's local Northern Alliance. The invasion effort made rapid progress for the next two months as the coalition captured Kabul on 13 November and toppled the Taliban by 17 December, after which international military bases were set up near major cities across the country. However, most members of al-Qaeda and the Taliban were not captured: during the Battle of Tora Bora , several fighters including bin Laden,
1680-414: A master's degree in international relations and political science at Himachal Pradesh University , obtaining his degree in 1983. Karzai then moved to Pakistan and worked as a fundraiser for the anti-communist Afghan rebels during their 1980s uprising against the rule of Soviet-backed Afghan Mohammad Najibullah . Hamid Karzai returned to Afghanistan in early October 1988, late in the war, to assist in
1785-664: A recent referendum that considers Crimea as part of the Russian Federation." Karzai's relations with neighboring Pakistan were good, especially with the Awami National Party (ANP) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). He often describes his nation and Pakistan as "inseparable twin brothers", a reference to the disputed Durand Line border between the two states, despite the many border skirmishes that occurred during his presidency. In December 2007, Karzai and his delegates traveled to Islamabad , Pakistan, for
1890-469: A similar effect. As part of his efforts to unite Afghanistan's ethnicities, Karzai favored an Afghan dress that combines traditional design features from the various ethnics – Pashtun -style long shirt and loose trousers, an outer robe popular among the Tajiks and Uzbeks , and most distinctively a karakul hat worn by highlanders from the valley of Panjshir . In 2002 designer Tom Ford , who worked at
1995-610: A special cabinet meeting where he condemned the Israeli attacks on Gaza and the killings of civilians while pledging $ 500,000 USD in aid to Gaza . Relations between Karzai and India have always been friendly; he attended university there. Afghanistan–India relations began getting stronger in 2011, especially after the death of Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. In October 2011, Karzai signed a strategic partnership agreement with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh . During his speech at
2100-1084: A traitor. Following the fall of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to the Taliban on 17 August 2021, the leader of the Taliban-affiliated Hezb-e-Islami party Gulbuddin Hekmatyar met with Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah , chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation and former chief executive , in Doha , seeking to form an interim government with the Taliban. United States invasion of Afghanistan American-led coalition victory Non-State allies : Timeline Major operations Airstrikes Major insurgent attacks 2002 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Massacres Other Shortly after
2205-463: A two-year term as interim president during the 2002 loya jirga (grand assembly) that was held in Kabul, Afghanistan . After the 2004 presidential election , Karzai was declared the winner and became President of Afghanistan. He won a second five-year term in the 2009 presidential election ; this term ended in September 2014, and he was succeeded by Ashraf Ghani . During his presidency, Karzai
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#17327725070982310-438: A usual meeting with Pervez Musharraf on trade ties and intelligence sharing between the two Islamic states. Karzai also met and had a 45-minute talk with Benazir Bhutto on the morning of 27 December, hours before her trip to Liaquat National Bagh , where she was assassinated after her speech. After Bhutto's death, Karzai called her his sister and a brave woman who had a clear vision "for her own country, for Afghanistan, and for
2415-457: A vehicle provided by Hekmatyar and driven by Gul Rahman . When the Taliban emerged in the mid-1990s, Karzai initially recognized them as the legitimate government because he thought that they would stop the violence and corruption in the country. He was requested by the Taliban to serve as their ambassador, but refused, telling friends that he felt Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI)
2520-469: Is a friend although the U.S. often claims that neighboring Iran is meddling in Afghanistan's affairs. In 2007, Karzai said that Iran, so far, had been a helper in the reconstruction process. He acknowledged in 2010 that the Government of Iran had been providing millions of dollars directly to his office. In October 2007, Karzai again rejected Western accusations against Iran, stating, "We have resisted
2625-465: Is possibly helping fuel the ongoing Taliban insurgency . He has repeatedly demanded that NATO forces take more care to avoid civilian casualties when conducting military operations in residential areas. In a September 2006 video broadcast, Karzai stated that if the money wasted on the Iraq War had been actually spent on rebuilding Afghanistan, his country would "be in heaven in less than one year". On
2730-611: Is running out." In 2001, the Defense Department did not have a pre-existing plan for an invasion of Afghanistan. Therefore, the plan approved by Bush was devised by the CIA, reusing elements of the agency's previous contingency plans for collaboration with the Northern Alliance against the Taliban. Bush met with his cabinet at Camp David on 15 September for a war planning session. The military presented three options for military action in Afghanistan: The first
2835-782: The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan from December 2004 to September 2014. He previously served as Chairman of the Afghan Interim Administration from December 2001 to July 2002. He is the chief ( khān ) of the Popalzai Durrani tribe of Pashtuns in Kandahar Province . Born in Kandahar , Karzai graduated from Habibia High School in Kabul and later received a master's degree in India in
2940-749: The RK Mishra Memorial in New Delhi, Karzai told the audience that "The signing of the strategic partnership with India is not directed against any country. It is not directed against any other entity. This is for Afghanistan to benefit from the strength of India." Many people have plotted to assassinate Karzai, especially the Taliban's Quetta Shura and the Taliban-allied Haqqani network which allegedly receives support and guidance from Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) spy network. As recent as October 2011, while Karzai
3045-536: The September 11 attacks , the United States declared the war on terror and subsequently led a multinational military operation against Taliban-ruled Afghanistan . The stated goal was to dismantle al-Qaeda , which had executed the attacks under the leadership of Osama bin Laden , and to deny Islamist militants a safe base of operations in Afghanistan by toppling the Taliban government. The United Kingdom
3150-718: The Shomali Plain . The Takhar front extended from the Tajikistan border in the north to Parwan in the south, near Kabul. Dostum's forces were located south of Mazar-i-Sharif, the Hazaras under Muhammad Mohaqiq were in the central Hazarajat region, and Ismail Khan was near Herat . The Taliban's military commander in the north was Mohammad Fazl . The Taliban military comprised approximately 45,000 Afghans and 2,700 foreign fighters, which included al-Qaeda's 055 Brigade . According to military analyst Ali Jalali ,
3255-631: The Soviet–Afghan War and was already wanted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation for his role in the 1998 United States embassy bombings . The Taliban declined to extradite bin Laden and further ignored demands to shut down terrorist bases or extradite other suspected terrorists. In response, the United States launched Operation Enduring Freedom on 7 October 2001, alongside the United Kingdom. The two countries were later joined by
Hamid Karzai - Misplaced Pages Continue
3360-522: The Taliban regime and mustered support for a new government in Afghanistan. Karzai and his group were in Quetta, where they began a covert operation. Later, many would claim that at this moment the US decided that Karzai should be the next leader of Afghanistan. Before entering Afghanistan, he warned his fighters: We might be captured the moment we enter Afghanistan and be killed. We have 60 percent chance of death and 40 percent chance to live and survive. Winning
3465-536: The U.S. embassy in Islamabad several times, talking with UN diplomat Norbert Holl , and attempted to gain American support for "modern, educated Afghans" to weaken the Taliban's views. Karzai's father was reportedly annoyed with him for not making clear-cut choices and wanting to be friends with everyone. In July 1999, Karzai's father, Abdul Ahad Karzai, was shot dead early in the morning while returning home from
3570-482: The former Afghan government , urging the US to instead focus on bringing Pakistan's support for the Taliban leadership to heel, but the US largely ignored his requests. After the Taliban takeover of Kabul in 2021, Karzai stated the Taliban did not capture the city by force, but rather were invited by him in order to prevent chaos. He said that in order to gain international recognition , the new Taliban government needed internal legitimacy, which could be achieved through
3675-889: The 055 Brigade was only 400–600 strong, but its ties to bin Laden made it politically important. The foreign fighters included Arabs as well as Kashmiris , Chechens , Uzbeks, and Uyghurs . Several hundred officers from Pakistan's ISI were stationed in Afghanistan advising the Taliban. By mid-October, approximately 10,000 Pakistani volunteers crossed the border to augment the Taliban's forces. The volunteers were mostly madrasa students, some as young as 14. Both sides primarily used Russian military equipment. The Northern Alliance had 14.5mm heavy machine guns, Russian artillery, T-72 tanks, and BMP-1 armored vehicles retrofitted with rocket pods from Soviet combat helicopters. Dostum's Uzbeks used horses for transportation. The Northern Alliance had 18 helicopters and three fixed-wing planes, used mostly for logistical purposes. The Taliban's equipment
3780-909: The 1919 Third Anglo-Afghan War and was the Deputy Speaker of the Senate . The Karzai family were monarchists and remained strong supporters of Mohammed Zahir Shah , the last king of Afghanistan . His uncle, Habibullah Karzai , served as the Afghan representative at the UN and is said to have accompanied King Zahir to the United States in the early 1960s for a special meeting with U.S. President John F. Kennedy . Hamid Karzai attended Mahmood Hotaki Primary School in Kandahar and Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani School in Kabul . He graduated from Habibia High School in Kabul in 1976. After graduating, he went to India as an exchange student in 1976, and studied for
3885-604: The 1980s. He moved to Pakistan where he was active as a fundraiser for the Afghan rebels during the Soviet–Afghan War (1979–1989) and its aftermath. He briefly served as Deputy Foreign Minister in the Islamic State of Afghanistan government. In July 1999, Karzai's father was assassinated and Karzai succeeded him as head of the Popalzai tribe. In October 2001 the United States invasion of Afghanistan began and Karzai led
3990-459: The Afghan food supply and raiding a fertilizer factory that JSOC believed could be used to make chemical weapons. The military completed its war plan by 21 September and called it Operation Infinite Justice. This name was deemed culturally insensitive because Islamic theology only deems God's justice to be infinite, so Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld changed the name to Operation Enduring Freedom. The US aimed to destroy al-Qaeda and remove
4095-510: The Afghan militants are always welcome in the country, although foreign insurgents are not. In September 2007, Karzai again offered talks with militant fighters after a security scare forced him to end a commemoration speech. Karzai left the event and was taken back to his palace, where he was due to meet visiting Latvian President Valdis Zatlers . After the meeting, the pair held a joint news conference, at which Karzai called for talks with his Taliban foes. "We don't have any formal negotiations with
4200-508: The Bush administration. US pressure on Pakistan reportedly included an ultimatum that Pakistan declares itself either a friend or a foe and the threat to "turn Pakistan back to the stone age". Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf agreed and sent the ISI director-general to negotiate with the Taliban. Muhammad Umar told Pakistan that he would be willing to turn bin Laden over to a third country, but
4305-589: The Pashtun tribes in and around Kandahar in an uprising against the Taliban ; he became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001. During the December 2001 International Conference on Afghanistan in Germany, Karzai was selected by prominent Afghan political figures to serve a six-month term as chairman of the Interim Administration . He was then chosen for
Hamid Karzai - Misplaced Pages Continue
4410-465: The Taliban deliver bin Laden and al-Qaeda or face war. On the same day, a grand council of 300 or 700 Muslim clerics across Afghanistan, who had convened to decide bin Laden's fate, issued a fatwa recommending that the Islamic Emirate ask bin Laden to leave their country. The fatwa went on to warn that should the United States invade Afghanistan, jihad would become obligatory until
4515-463: The Taliban regime from power, but also sought to prevent the Northern Alliance from taking control of Afghanistan, believing the Alliance's rule would alienate the country's Pashtun majority. CIA director George Tenet argued that the US should target al-Qaeda but "hold off on the Taliban," since the Taliban were popular in Pakistan and attacking them could jeopardize relations with Pakistan . At
4620-564: The Taliban takeover of Kabul, Massoud retreated north to his native Panjshir Valley and formed a resistance movement against the Taliban, called the United Front or the Northern Alliance . In addition to Massoud's Tajik force, the United Front included Uzbeks under the former PDPA general Abdul Rashid Dostum and Hazara factions. The Northern Alliance received varying degrees of support from Russia, Iran, and India. Like
4725-595: The Taliban, Massoud also raised money by trafficking drugs. By 2001, the Taliban controlled 80% of the country, with the Northern Alliance confined to the country's northeast corner. After nearly five years of shelter, bin Laden was expelled from Sudan in 1996 and arrived in Jalalabad , Afghanistan. He had founded al-Qaeda in the late 1980s to continue jihad after the end of the Soviet–Afghan War. He moved al-Qaeda's operations to eastern Afghanistan and developed
4830-435: The Taliban. A change in US policy was effected in early September 2001. The Bush administration agreed on a plan to start supporting Massoud. On 10 September, a meeting of top national security officials agreed that the Taliban would be presented with an ultimatum to hand over bin Laden and other al-Qaeda operatives. If the Taliban refused, the US would provide covert military aid to anti-Taliban groups to attempt to overthrow
4935-418: The Taliban. On 9 September 2001, two al-Qaeda members posing as journalists killed Massoud by detonating a bomb hidden in their video camera battery belt during an interview. Mohammed Fahim became the new leader of the Northern Alliance. The Alliance had 15,000–20,000 fighters distributed across five locations. On the Kabul front, Taliban and Northern Alliance forces faced each other from trenches across
5040-512: The Taliban. During the 1990s, the CIA and Delta Force planned several operations to kill or capture bin Laden, but President Bill Clinton never ordered them to proceed. During the early years of the Clinton administration , the US had no clear policy toward Afghanistan. The 1998 US embassy bombings , however, masterminded by al-Qaeda, provoked President Clinton to order missile strikes on militant training camps in Afghanistan; bin Laden
5145-469: The Taliban. They don't have an address. Who do we talk to?" Karzai told reporters. He further stated: "If I can have a place where to send somebody to talk to, an authority that publicly says it is the Taliban authority, I will do it." In December 2009 Karzai announced to move ahead with a Loya Jirga (large assembly) to discuss the Taliban insurgency in which the Taliban representatives would be invited to take part in this Jirga. In January 2010, Karzai set
5250-531: The US refused, demanding a direct handover. Meanwhile, Umar authorized his deputy Akhtar Mohammad Osmani to negotiate with Robert Grenier , the CIA's chief of station in Pakistan, to discuss giving up bin Laden. The two met in Quetta on 15 September and 2 October. During the latter meeting, Grenier, aware that Osmani belonged to the moderate faction of the Taliban and disliked bin Laden, proposed that Osmani seize power in Afghanistan. He offered CIA assistance in
5355-482: The United Nations of alleged voting irregularities, the national election commission in early November declared Karzai winner, without a runoff, with 55.4% of the vote. This represented 4.3 million of the total 8.1 million votes cast. The election took place safely in spite of a surge of insurgent activity. Karzai was sworn in as President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan on 7 December 2004, at
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#17327725070985460-637: The United States and other NATO countries. In August 2007, Karzai was invited to Camp David in Maryland , USA, for a special meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush. The United States has set up a special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, which is headed by Marc Grossman . His task is to serve as a mediator and solve issues between the three nations. However, in later years the relations between U.S. and Karzai had become strained, particularly Karzai had been very critical of U.S. military because of their high-level of civilian casualties. In 2019 he described
5565-490: The United States that the Taliban were connected with al Qaeda and that there was a plot for an imminent attack on the United States, but their warnings went unheeded. On September 9, 2001, two days before the September 11 attacks in the US, Massoud was assassinated by al Qaeda agents in a suicide bombing." As the U.S. Armed Forces were preparing for a confrontation with the Taliban in September 2001, Karzai began urging NATO states to purge his country of al-Qaeda. He said in
5670-504: The United States, employing four hijacked jet airliners. The attacks killed almost 3,000 people and injured more than 6,000 others. By the early afternoon of 11 September, the CIA had confirmed that al-Qaeda was responsible for the attack. The Taliban condemned the attacks, but Umar issued a statement denying bin Laden's involvement. Although bin Laden eventually took responsibility for the 9/11 attacks in 2004 , he initially denied having any involvement. One of bin Laden's strategic goals
5775-465: The bid to explore its resources. He stated, "morally, Afghanistan should give access as a priority to those countries that have helped Afghanistan massively in the past few years." While in Japan, Karzai also made his first visit to Hiroshima to pray for the atomic bomb victims. Japan has provided billions of dollars in aid to Afghanistan since the beginning of 2002. On 16 July 2014, President Karzai held
5880-509: The capital city of Kabul , effectively confining the Northern Alliance to Badakhshan Province and smaller surrounding areas. The American-led invasion on 7 October 2001, marked the first phase of what would become the 20-year-long War in Afghanistan . After the September 11 attacks, American president George W. Bush demanded that the Taliban government extradite Osama bin Laden to the United States and also expel al-Qaeda militants from Afghanistan; bin Laden had been active in Afghanistan since
5985-485: The charges political propaganda and stated he was a "victim of vicious politics". When Karzai was a candidate in the October 2004 presidential election , he won 21 of the 34 provinces , defeating his 22 opponents and becoming the first democratically elected leader of Afghanistan. Although his campaigning was limited due to fears of violence, elections passed without significant incident. Following an investigation by
6090-413: The country after the attacks. Barry Bearak in a New York Times article described Afghanistan as a "post-apocalyptic place of felled cities, parched land and downtrodden people." Seventy percent of the population was undernourished in 2001, and the life expectancy was ranked two places from bottom in the world. Fox News suggested on 27 September that "millions" of Afghans would possibly starve, amid
6195-470: The country amidst a nationwide Taliban offensive . In August 2021, the Taliban captured Kabul and toppled the Afghan government , re-establishing their rule in the form of a second Islamic emirate . In 2001, Afghanistan had been at war for over 20 years. The communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) seized power in 1978, and its policies sparked a popular uprising. The Soviet Union , sensing PDPA weakness, intervened in 1979 to support
6300-506: The country as long as fighting continued. In July 2010, Karzai approved a plan intended to win over Taliban foot soldiers and low-level commanders. In mid-August 2013, Attorney General Mohammad Ishaq Aloko was said to have been fired after meeting with Taliban officials in the U.A.E. after being told not to meet with them. However, unnamed senior cabinet officials tried to persuade Karzai to not fire him, while an official in Aloko's office denied
6405-791: The country will, therefore, not deliver the shared goal of eliminating terrorism." He demanded assistance from the international community to destroy terrorist sanctuaries inside and outside Afghanistan. "You have to look beyond Afghanistan to the sources of terrorism", he told the UN General Assembly, and "destroy terrorist sanctuaries beyond" the country, dismantle the elaborate networks in the region that recruit, indoctrinate, train, finance, arm, and deploy terrorists. These activities are also robbing thousands of Afghan children of their right to education, and prevent health workers from doing their jobs in Afghanistan. In addition, he promised to eliminate opium-poppy cultivation in his country, which
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#17327725070986510-641: The coup on the condition that Osmani would hand over bin Laden afterwards. Although Osmani initially showed some interest in the proposal, they ultimately failed to reach an agreement. On 4 October, the British government released a document summarizing the evidence linking bin Laden to the attacks. That same day, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) invoked Article V of the North Atlantic Treaty for
6615-577: The dismissal saying instead that he was at the Presidential Palace "celebrating Independence Day". Karzai's relations with NATO countries was strong, especially with the United States , due to the fact that it was the leading nation helping to rebuild war-torn Afghanistan. Karzai enjoyed a very friendly and strong strategic partnership with the United States, despite various disagreements. The U.S. had supported him since late 2001 to lead his nation. He has made many important diplomatic trips to
6720-401: The economic situation of his countrymen. Moreover, Karzai's younger brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai – who partially helped finance Karzai's presidential campaign – was rumored to be involved in narcotic deals. James Risen of The New York Times and others stated that Ahmed Wali Karzai may have been involved in the Afghan opium and heroin trade . This was denied by Karzai, who called
6825-500: The election as a whole was good and free and democratic." He further went on to say that, "Afghanistan has its separate problems and we have to handle them as Afghanistan finds it feasible ... This country was completely destroyed ... Today, we are talking about fighting corruption in Afghanistan, improved legal standards ... You see the glass half empty or half full. I see it as half full. Others see it as half empty." A 2019 Washington Post report described Karzai as ruling
6930-535: The embarrassment of appearing at the London Conference on Afghanistan with nearly half of his cabinet devoid of leaders. Since late 2001 Karzai has been trying for peace in his country, going as far as pardoning militants that lay down weapons and join the rebuilding process. However, his offers were not accepted by the militant groups. In April 2007, Karzai acknowledged that he spoke to some militants about trying to bring peace in Afghanistan. He noted that
7035-540: The end of 1994, the Taliban had captured all of Kandahar Province. In 1996, with military support from Pakistan and financial support from Saudi Arabia, the Taliban seized Kabul and founded the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan . They imposed their fundamentalist interpretation of Islam in areas under their control, issuing edicts forbidding women to work outside the home or attend school and requiring them to abide by harsh rules on veiling and seclusion. After
7140-408: The eve of the presidential election on 20 August, Karzai seemed at once deeply unpopular but also likely to win the majority of the votes. He was blamed by many for the failures that plagued the reconstruction of Afghanistan after the toppling of the Taliban government in 2001, from the widespread corruption and the resurgence of the (neo-)Taliban to the explosion of the poppy trade. His unpopularity and
7245-501: The first mujahideen leaders into Kabul after President Najibullah stepped down in 1992. He served as Deputy Foreign Minister in the government of Burhanuddin Rabbani . Karzai was arrested, however, by Mohammad Fahim (who would later become Karzai's Vice President) on charges of spying for Gulbuddin Hekmatyar in what Karzai claimed was an effort to negotiate between Hekmatyar's forces and Rabbani's government. Karzai fled from Kabul in
7350-506: The first time in its history; According to one senior British MoD official, the invoking of Article V seemed to have caught the Americans by surprise, and the Bush administration appeared annoyed at NATO's declaration. Article V states that an attack on one member of the alliance is to be considered an attack on all members. On 7 October, as the US aerial bombing campaign began, President Bush stated, "Full warning has been given, and time
7455-719: The founder of al-Qaeda escaped into neighboring Pakistan or otherwise retreated to remote regions deep within the Hindu Kush . In December 2001, the United Nations Security Council established the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) to oversee military operations in Afghanistan and also train the new Afghan National Security Forces . At the Bonn Conference that same month, Hamid Karzai
7560-447: The framework for dialogue with Taliban leaders when he called on the group's leadership to take part in the jirga to initiate peace talks. A Taliban spokesman declined to talk in detail about Karzai's offer and only said the militants would make a decision soon. In April 2010, Karzai urged Taliban insurgents to lay down their arms and air their grievances while visiting a violent northern province, adding that foreign forces would not leave
7665-473: The government of Karzai in early 2009 for failing to secure the country from Taliban attacks, systemic governmental corruption, and widespread claims of electoral fraud in the 2009 Afghan presidential election . Karzai staunchly defended the election balloting, stating that some statements criticizing the balloting and vote count were "totally fabricated". He told the media that, "There were instances of fraud, no doubt ... There were irregularities ... But
7770-416: The invaders were expelled. On 21 September, Muhammad Umar rejected both Bush's demands and the advice of the council, again denying that bin Laden was responsible for 9/11. Simultaneously, the US urged Pakistan to end its support for the Taliban regime and to pressure Muhammad Umar to hand over bin Laden. On 12 September, the US demanded Pakistan close its border with the Taliban and share intelligence with
7875-487: The likelihood of his victory formed an atmosphere with a kind of national demoralization, which could discourage many Afghans from voting and dash hopes for substantial progress after the election. In this second presidential election, Karzai was announced to have received over 50% of the votes. The election was tainted by lack of security, low voter turnout and widespread ballot stuffing , intimidation, and other electoral fraud . Two months later Karzai accepted calls for
7980-546: The negative propaganda launched by foreign states against the Islamic Republic, and we stress that aliens' propaganda should not leave a negative impact on the consolidated ties between the two great nations of Iran and Afghanistan." Karzai added, "The two Iranian and Afghan nations are close to each other due to their bonds and commonalities, they belong to the same house, and they will live alongside each other for good." Some international criticism has centered around
8085-438: The north and around Kabul", and the Taliban killed 5,000–8,000 civilians after they captured Mazar-i-Sharif in 1998. Afghanistan also faced a serious humanitarian crisis in 2001 due to drought; according to the United Nations, 5 million Afghans were in need of humanitarian aid that year and 3.8 million could not survive without UN food aid. On the morning of 11 September 2001, al-Qaeda carried out four coordinated attacks on
8190-578: The only countries to recognize the Russian annexation of Crimea . The United States, European countries, and most other nations wholeheartedly condemned the Russian takeover, as well as the validity of the subsequent Crimean Referendum on its annexation to Russia. Citing "the free will of the Crimean people", the office of President Hamid Karzai said, "We respect the decision the people of Crimea took through
8295-493: The original coronation of Ahmad Shah Durrani at the shrine of Sher-i-Surkh outside Kandahar, where he had leaders of various Afghan tribes, including a descendant of the religious leader (Sabir Shah) who originally selected Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1747, as key players in this event. Further evidence that Karzai views himself fulfilling a Durrani monarch's role arises from statements furnished by close allies within his government. His late brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai, made statements to
8400-528: The paralyzed relief network, closed border crossings, and the cold winter approaching. The U.N. refugee agency feared that the scale of the crisis could reach the peaks of that in Bosnia and Rwanda . The invasion consisted of American, British, Canadian, and Australian forces, with other countries providing logistical support. General Tommy Franks of US Central Command (CENTCOM) was the overall commander for Operation Enduring Freedom. He led four task forces:
8505-570: The parliament rejected 17 of these. According to the parliament, most of the nominees were rejected due to having been picked for reasons other than their competency. A member of parliament said that they had been picked largely based on "ethnicity or bribery or money". On 16 January 2010, the Afghan parliament rejected 10 of the Karzai's 17 replacement picks for the cabinet. MPs complained that Karzai's new choices were either not qualified for their posts or had close connections to Afghan warlords. Despite
8610-628: The rebel victory in Tarinkot . He assisted in mobilizing the Popalzai and the other Durrani tribes and helped to drive Najibullah's regime from the city. Karzai also helped negotiate the defection of five hundred of Najibullah's soldiers. When Najibullah's pro-Soviet government collapsed in 1992, the Peshawar Accords agreed upon by the Afghan political parties established the Islamic State of Afghanistan and appointed an interim government to be followed by general elections. Karzai accompanied
8715-476: The regime. The Soviet entry into Afghanistan prompted its Cold War rivals, especially the United States and Saudi Arabia , to support rebels fighting against the Soviet-backed PDPA. While the secular and socialist government controlled the cities, religiously motivated mujahidin held sway in much of the countryside. The most important mujahidin commander was Ahmad Shah Massoud , who led
8820-524: The region around Kabul. Other areas, particularly the more remote ones, have historically been under the influence of various local leaders. Karzai has been, to varying degrees of success, attempting to negotiate and form amicable alliances with them for the benefit of Afghanistan as a whole, instead of aggressively fighting them and risking an uprising. In 2004, he rejected an international proposal to end poppy production in Afghanistan through aerial spraying of chemical herbicides , fearing that it would harm
8925-633: The region – a vision of democracy, prosperity, and peace". In September 2008, Karzai was invited on a special visit to witness the swearing-in ceremony of Asif Ali Zardari , who became the President of Pakistan . Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have improved after the PPP party took over in 2008. The two nations often make contacts with one another concerning the war on terrorism and trade. Pakistan even allowed NATO forces stationed in Afghanistan to launch attacks on militant groups in Pakistan. This
9030-423: The resulting power vacuum, the mujahidin leaders vied for dominance in a civil war from 1992 to 1996 . By then, bin Laden had left the country. The United States' interest in Afghanistan also diminished. In 1994, a Pashtun mujahid named Muhammad Umar founded the Taliban movement in Kandahar . His followers were religious students and sought to end warlord rule through strict adherence to Islamic law. By
9135-412: The second setback, by mid-January Karzai had 14 out of the 24 ministers confirmed, including the most powerful posts at foreign, defense and interior ministries. Shortly afterward, the parliament began its winter recess, lasting until 20 February, without waiting for Karzai to select additional names for his cabinet. The move not only extended the political uncertainty in the government but also dealt Karzai
9240-496: The support of the Afghan Ismailis for Hamid Karzai. On 2 November 2009, Karzai's run-off opponent, Abdullah Abdullah , withdrew from the race and election officials announced the cancellation of the run-off race . Karzai, the only remaining contender, was declared the winner a short time later. Karzai presented his first list of 24 cabinet nominees to the Afghan parliament on 19 December 2009; however, on 2 January 2010,
9345-421: The time for Gucci , was quoted calling Karzai "the most chic man in the world". After Karzai was installed into power, his actual authority outside the capital city of Kabul was said to be so limited that he was often derided as the "Mayor of Kabul". The situation was particularly delicate since Karzai and his administration have not been equipped either financially or politically to influence reforms outside of
9450-414: The time of the invasion, the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan was dire, and the attacks in the United States caused thousands of Afghans to attempt to flee fearing potential U.S. military action - this on top of millions that were already refugees in regional countries due to the continuous conflict already in place for 22 years. Food stock was running critically low and almost all aid workers had left
9555-542: The use of American ground forces, to avoid provoking the Afghan population as the British and Russians had done. On 17 September Bush approved the CIA's plan and directed the military to develop a detailed war plan based on the third option from Camp David. Planning efforts were hindered because the Taliban had little physical infrastructure for the military to target. Early plans by the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) included poisoning
9660-580: The well-organized Tajik forces. The American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) worked closely with Pakistan 's Inter-Service Intelligence (ISI) to funnel foreign support for the mujahidin . The war also attracted Arab volunteers, known as " Afghan Arabs ", including Osama bin Laden . After the withdrawal of the Soviet military from Afghanistan in February 1989, the PDPA regime collapsed in 1992. In
9765-566: Was indicted for his involvement in the bombings. In 1999 both the US and the United Nations enacted sanctions against the Taliban in United Nations Security Council Resolution 1267 , which demanded the Taliban surrender bin Laden for trial in the US and close all terrorist bases in Afghanistan. At the time, the only collaboration between Massoud and the US was an effort with the CIA to trace bin Laden. The US provided no support for Massoud's fight against
9870-421: Was a cruise missile strike, the second was a combined cruise missile and bombing campaign lasting 3–10 days, and the third called for cruise missile and bomber strikes as well as ground forces operating inside Afghanistan. The CIA also presented its war plan, which involved inserting paramilitary teams to work with the Northern Alliance and, eventually, American Special Forces units. The planners wanted to minimize
9975-490: Was a key ally of the United States, offering support for military action from the start of the invasion preparations. The American military presence in Afghanistan greatly bolstered the Northern Alliance , which had been locked in a losing fight with the Taliban during the Afghan Civil War . Prior to the beginning of the United States' war effort, the Taliban had seized around 85% of Afghanistan's territory as well as
10080-627: Was expected. After his new administration took over in 2004, the economy of Afghanistan began growing rapidly for the first time in many years. Government revenue began increasing every year, although it is still heavily dependent on foreign aid. During the first term in Karzai's presidency , public discontent grew about corruption and the civilian casualties in the 2001–14 . In May 2006, an anti-American and anti-Karzai riot took place in Kabul which left at least seven people dead and 40 injured. In May 2007, after as many as 51 Afghan civilians were killed in
10185-411: Was known in the international community for being an alliance builder between Afghanistan's communities. In later years, his relationship with NATO and the United States became increasingly strained, and he has been accused several times of corruption . He called the Taliban his brothers and warned that the heavy-handed counterinsurgency in Afghanistan would only revive the Taliban insurgency against
10290-453: Was no consideration. We could not even think of that. We got on two motorbikes. We drove into Afghanistan. Karzai gathered several hundred fighters from his tribe, but were attacked by the Taliban. Karzai barely survived, and used his contacts with the CIA to call for an airlift. On 4 November 2001, American special operation forces flew Karzai out of Afghanistan for protection. On 5 December 2001, Hamid Karzai and his group of fighters survived
10395-498: Was one of the guards outside the Presidential Palace in Kabul. The alleged group of assassins were associates of al Qaida and the Haqqani network, and were paid $ 150,000 by Pakistani-based Islamic terrorists. A U.S. official said that "Our understanding is that the threat against President Karzai was real, was credible, but it was only in the early stages of planning." The following is a list of other failed assassination attempts: In
10500-494: Was selected to lead the Afghan Interim Administration . Simultaneously, the Taliban's founding leader Muhammad Umar reorganized the movement to wage asymmetric warfare against the coalition, and by 2002, the group had launched an insurgency against the American-led war effort . Protracted fighting continued for the next two decades, and by mid-2021, the international coalition and the United States had begun to withdraw from
10605-458: Was similar to that of the Northern Alliance, and they also had Stinger missiles donated by the United States to the mujahidin during the Soviet–Afghan War. They relied on pickup trucks for mobility and operated as a "motorized light force." They had about 40 combat aircraft, operated by ex-PDPA pilots. Both sides had a history of human rights abuses: Uzbeks and Hazaras had "massacred hundreds of Taliban prisoners and killed Pashtun villagers in
10710-413: Was something strongly opposed by the previous government of Pakistan. The two states finally signed into law long-awaited Afghanistan–Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement in 2011, intended to improve trade. Karzai acknowledges Pakistan's meddling in Afghanistan's wars, but said in a 2015 interview that Afghanistan wants a "friendly relationship but not to be under Pakistan's thumb". Karzai believed that Iran
10815-591: Was to draw the US into a costly war in Afghanistan, so it could be defeated just as the USSR had been. On the evening of 11 September, President Bush stated the US would respond to the attacks and would "make no distinction between those who planned these acts and those who harbor them." On 14 September 2001, Congress passed legislation titled Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists , authorizing military force against al-Qaeda and its supporters. President Bush addressed Congress on 20 September and demanded
10920-472: Was visiting India to sign an important strategic partnership agreement with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Afghan agents of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) arrested 6 people in Kabul for planning to assassinate Karzai. Among those involved in the assassination plot were four Kabul University students and one of its professors, Dr. Aimal Habib, as well as Mohibullah Ahmadi who
11025-570: Was wrongly using them. Karzai then wanted to represent the Taliban government for the UN , but the Taliban leader did not trust Karzai due to him having many links with westerners. Karzai lived in the Pakistani city of Quetta among many other Afghan refugees , where he worked to reinstate former Afghan king Zahir Shah, meeting the king in Italy several times. He also visited the western embassies including
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