by Mark Silva
CAMP DAVID, Md. – While U.S. intelligence speaks of a “safe haven’’ for al Qaeda in Pakistan, President Bush said today that the United States could “bring top al Qaeda to justice’’ if authorities had “actionable intelligence.’’
And, despite the resurgence of the Taliban inside Afghanistan, Afghan President Hamid Karzai today described the Taliban as “defeated’’ and “hiding’’ – and as posing no credible threat to his government.
With the joint appearance here of Presidents Bush and Karzai, more than five years after U.S. forces toppled the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, the two leaders made an attempt at portraying great progress against terrorism on its remotest fronts.
“I’m confident, with actionable intelligence, we will be able to bring top al Qaeda to justice,’’ Bush said, standing alongside Karzai on a lawn of the presidential mountain retreat used for the presidential helicopter.
Yet Bush, asked if the U.S. would act without the Pakistani government’s approval, offered no insight into what U.S. and Pakistani leaders are saying about this, other than maintaining regular communication.
While acknowledging the persisting problem that poppy-farming poses both in Afghanistan and in the international drug trade, Karzai maintained that his country is making progress and that the Taliban does not pose a threat to his government.
“We have gone a long way,’’ Karzai said. “Progress has been made/
"Our enemy is still there -- defeated, but still hiding in the mountains,’’ Karzai said. “And our duty is to complete the job, to get them out of their hideouts in the mountains and to bring justice to the people of Afghanistan, to the people of America, and to the people around the world who are threatened by these terrorists.’’
"It's a force that's defeated; it's a force that is frustrated; it's a force that is acting in cowardice by killing children going to school,''’ said Karzai, who did not publicly address the 21 South Korean hostages whom Taliban forces are now holding.
Karzai arrived at a time of increasing concern for the stability of his government, with the Taliban is regaining strength and a thriving poppy crop fueling international trafficking in opium that also serves to finance terrorism.
In addition, the unruly region along Afghanistan’s border with Pakistan has become a “safe haven’’ for al Qaeda, according to the unclassified portions of a recent National Intelligence Estimate made by the Bush administration.
After five years of warfare following the toppling of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan with the U.S. invasion following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Karzai said in an interview leading up to this visit that Afghanistan, the U.S. and their allies are no closer to finding the al Qaeda leader, Osama bin Laden.
“We are not closer, we are not further away from it,’’ Karzai said in an interview with CNN. “We are where we were a few years ago… I definitely know that he cannot be in Afghanistan. Where he is is a question that I cannot answer at this point.’’
National Security Advisor Steve Hadley, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice took part in an intelligence briefing for the president at the Maryland mountain retreat this morning. From 8 to 9 am EDT, Bush invited Karzai to his personal cabin and they had an hour-long meeting one-on-one, followed by a larger session including the diplomatic and military delegations from both countries.
At home, Karzai confronts new demands from the Taliban, holding 21 South Korean church volunteers and making demands of the government.
The U.S. has committed 23,500 troops to Afghanistan, with a growing contingency of 26,000 NATO forces there as well.
“There is still a fight, but the Afghans are in the fight,’’ said Bush, saying that the two leaders had spoken once again here about “the need to stem the narcotic trade… We spent a lot of time on it… It’s important that we get this right.’’
“Yes,’’ Karzai said, “we have the problem of poppies… And we are committed to fighting it… It will take time and we are realistic about that.
Karzai attempted to portray the battle with the Taliban as guerrilla warfare in which desperate and cowardly terrorists are attacking children and young people – he recently pardoned a 14-year-old boy who had been trained at a madrassa – but not a battle for the survival of his government. And Bush pledged unwavering U.S. support.
“I fully understand the angst, agony and sorrow that Afghans feel when an innocent life is lost,’’ Bush said, calling the terrorists “merchants of death’’ and saying “it’s our job to get rid of them.’’
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Comments
So the Republican Party, with the help of the Department of Justice, will ransack a Congressman's office without notifying Congressional leaders and seize materials not related to a criminal investigation but they won't act on actionable intelligence regarding the location of the murderers of 3000 Americans if Pakistan refused to assist?
Posted by: Maloney | August 6, 2007 1:07 PM
Karzai in Afganistan is just like Al-Maliki in Iraq..
He can't leave his little puppet sanctuary in Kabul, just like Al-Maliki can't leave the "green zone" in Baghdad.
Posted by: John E | August 6, 2007 1:29 PM
Then who is collecting all the profits from a record poppy (heroin) crop?
Rent the original movie "Traffik" on which "Traffic" was based.
Posted by: Kenny Bunkport | August 6, 2007 1:53 PM
Bold rhetoric from Karzai about the Talliban. He talks tough while NATO backs it up. However, it is refreshing to see the leadership in Afghanistan unequivocally condemn the insurgency, and specifically, violence against civilians. I wish the leaders in Iraq would do the same.
Posted by: Herbie H. | August 6, 2007 1:59 PM
Taliban defeated....sounds like cheney told him to say that.
Posted by: jerri | August 6, 2007 2:23 PM
"LIKE SAND IN THE HOUR GLASS"
SAME TIME SAME CHANNEL SAME BATTLEFIELD, SAME, SAME, SAME.
TALIBAN "DEFEATED" is like a broken record "AND THE BEAT GOES ON" POPPY IS UP SO THE TALIBAN GANG IS COOL FOR RIGHT NOW. MORE POPPY MEANS LESS VIOLENCE.
ONLY BECAUSE THE WORLD IS "STONED." YES WHAT A CONCEPT. THE MORE POPPY FOR THE TALIBAN, MORE POOR, UNEDUCATED, AIDS INFESTED NATIONS TO SUCK THE TRUE LIFE AND SPIRIT OF MANKIND.
WELL THAT'S WHAT THEY DID.
MEN WHO WANT 10 WIVES AND 20 SLAVES AND A WHOLE TOWN OR VILLAGE AT THE BRINK OF NO WATER OR ELECTRICITY IS THE TALIBAN.
SO HOW ARE THE LIGHTS IN AFGANISTAN? OR PAKISTAN OR IRAQ FOR THAT MATTER.
I HEAR BIC LIGHTER SALES ARE UP TOO. WHERE IS THE PRESS ON THAT.
TALIBAN DEFEATED, BOY YOU MUST BE COOOOKOOOO! OR STUCK ON BIG POPPY!
AMERICA STOP BELIEVING THE CRACKHEAD AT THE PULPIT. HE IS THE ANTI CHRISTS NEWSPAPER BOY.
WHATS NEXT TALIBAN YARD SALE ON "HEROIN" NO THANKS FOR ME.
OBAMA, OBAMA, OBAMA, MR. 008 PLEASE FREE YOUR PEOPLE.
Posted by: Roger Morris | August 6, 2007 2:35 PM
"LIKE SAND IN THE HOUR GLASS"
SAME TIME SAME CHANNEL SAME BATTLEFIELD, SAME, SAME, SAME.
TALIBAN "DEFEATED" is like a broken record "AND THE BEAT GOES ON" POPPY IS UP SO THE TALIBAN GANG IS COOL FOR RIGHT NOW. MORE POPPY MEANS LESS VIOLENCE.
ONLY BECAUSE THE WORLD IS "STONED." YES WHAT A CONCEPT. THE MORE POPPY FOR THE TALIBAN, MORE POOR, UNEDUCATED, AIDS INFESTED NATIONS TO SUCK THE TRUE LIFE AND SPIRIT OF MANKIND.
WELL THAT'S WHAT THEY DID.
MEN WHO WANT 10 WIVES AND 20 SLAVES AND A WHOLE TOWN OR VILLAGE AT THE BRINK OF NO WATER OR ELECTRICITY IS THE TALIBAN.
SO HOW ARE THE LIGHTS IN AFGANISTAN? OR PAKISTAN OR IRAQ FOR THAT MATTER.
I HEAR BIC LIGHTER SALES ARE UP TOO. WHERE IS THE PRESS ON THAT.
TALIBAN DEFEATED, BOY YOU MUST BE COOOOKOOOO! OR STUCK ON BIG POPPY!
AMERICA STOP BELIEVING THE CRACKHEAD AT THE PULPIT. HE IS THE ANTI CHRISTS NEWSPAPER BOY.
WHATS NEXT TALIBAN YARD SALE ON "HEROIN" NO THANKS FOR ME.
OBAMA, OBAMA, OBAMA, MR. 008 PLEASE FREE YOUR PEOPLE.
Posted by: Roger Morris | August 6, 2007 2:55 PM
Roger Morris, your diatribes continue to put you in the "roger and out" category. It's hard to weed out who is more whacked out: you, dt, John E or Janet.
It seems to me most of you have been doing too much of the Afghan poppy you keep railing about!
Posted by: John D | August 6, 2007 3:22 PM
If the Taliban have been defeated, why are there still 23,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan??
This is like smarmy Cheney telling us that democracy is thriving and fully established in Iraq. Or old John flip flopper McCain telling us Baghdad is safe and secure.
What's the plan to deal with the bumper heroin and poppy crops that flourish in Afghanistan?? I wonder whose making the big bucks there?? Mr. Karzai has come to Washington to snuggle with Bush and put out his hands for more taxpayer money.
Posted by: Doug R. | August 6, 2007 3:29 PM
“I fully understand the angst, agony and sorrow that Afghans feel when an innocent life is lost,’’ Bush said, calling the terrorists “merchants of death’’ and saying “it’s our job to get rid of them.’’
Right, after we get rid of the poppy problem....glad to see that you've got your priorities straight....
Why don't these two plus Musaraf do something about this area. R they waiting to see if the elections will be held in Pakistan Dec or Jan? If it is important for the Us to get "high end operatives, important for Karzai not to lose his legitimacy with his people as civilians question his ability to secure them, and as Musaraf wants to win over his people by curbing extremism (not appease the Red Mosque individuals) why don't these leaders look into doing something about each others problems. They are all related, and if done right they could all benefit. Seems to me all the roads lead to that unchecked area.
Posted by: AR | August 6, 2007 3:36 PM
I wonder how many more millions of our tax dollars he was promised for that statement.
Thank God for those " Conservatives".
Posted by: Raving Loon | August 6, 2007 4:03 PM
Doug R. and many other people need to realize that we will eventually withdraw from Iraq. It isn't very likely that we will withdraw from Afghanistan in his/your lifetime. Even as a liberal I understand the geo-political reasons behind this. Folks need to read more History books and rely less on Sound-Bites for their info on these matters.
Posted by: Mark | August 6, 2007 6:23 PM
It will take some time for another Al- Qaida propaganda video to show-up. They probably can't stop wetting themselves from laughing too hard at Karzai.
Posted by: RomanB | August 6, 2007 8:44 PM
Going back to..
Posted by: John E | August 6, 2007 1:29 PM
Karzi was alright with the people until the bombing that took and continue to take civilian lives.
Maliki on the other hand was only supported by Shia; who were the majority to vote any way. And from what I heard now is that 17 members of his own cabinet have left. A week after the major Sunni Block. Wow talk about a uniter. You now as our military makes head way from the ground up instead of top down (bc they can't count on the politicians and the civilians are growing tired of the violence and lack of gains with their leaders) I think that we should reinstate their soccer team as leaders. They know more about unity than this capricious looking monkey. I wouldn't be surprised if the block left after the criticism from his predecessor that he wasn't doing enough to unite; I kinda think he should be reinstated and only after legislation passes people get to vote for their leader with no violence to compete with. Bush should not prop him up any longer (using the following words "stand by" "support" "tough job" rhetoric) as a matter of fact Bush should seek a change in the Iraqi gov., or get himself over to Iraq and mediate this situation. Maliki is in need of his uniting skills. Sarcasm intended.
Posted by: AR | August 6, 2007 9:34 PM
Cool Drama...
Posted by: HG | August 7, 2007 1:09 AM