US failed in Afghanistan, says Karzai

KABUL: Afghanistan’s former president Hamid Karzai said on Sunday the United States came to his country to fight extremism and bring stability to his war-tortured nation and is leaving nearly 20 years later having failed at both.

In an interview with The Associated Press just weeks before the last US and Nato troops leave Afghanistan, ending their ‘ forever war,’ Karzai said extremism is at its “highest point” and the departing troops are leaving behind a disaster.

“The international community came here 20 years ago with this clear objective of fighting extremism and bringing stability but extremism is at the highest point today. So they have failed,” he said.

Their legacy is a war-ravaged nation in “total disgrace and disaster.”

“We recognise as Afghans all our failures, but what about the bigger forces and powers who came here for exactly that purpose? Where are they leaving us now?” he asked and answered: “In total disgrace and disaster.”

Still, Karzai, who had a conflicted relationship with the United States during his 13-year rule, wanted the troops to leave, saying Afghans were united behind an overwhelming desire for peace and needed now to take responsibility for their future.

“We will be beter off without their military presence,” he said. “I think we should defend our own country and look ater our own lives. Their presence (has given us) what we have now. We don’t want to continue with this misery and indignity that we are facing. It is beter for Afghanistan that they leave.”

“The (Us/nato military) campaign was not against extremism or terrorism, the campaign was more against Afghan villages and hopes; puting Afghan people in prisons, creating prisons in our own country and bombing all villages. That was very wrong.”

“The desire of the Afghan people, overwhelmingly, all over the country is for peace,” said Karzai.

Karzai had a message for both sides in the conflict: “The two Afghan sides, none of them should be fighting.”

While accusing both Pakistan, where the Taliban leadership is headquartered, and the United States of stoking the fighting, Karzai said it is up to Afghans to end decades of war.

“The only answer is Afghans geting together. We must recognise that this is our country and we must stop killing each other.”