President Hamid Karzai sought to distance himself from controversial remarks made in an interview.


According to the statement, he had said that Afghanistan would back Pakistan against the US if the two ever came to blows.

The presidential palace said Karzai’s comments, made in an interview with a private Pakistani television station at the weekend, were “misinterpreted”.

Karzai has said that his country would support Pakistan if it was attacked by either the United States or India.

“God forbid, If any time war erupts between Pakistan and America, Afghanistan will side with Pakistan,” Karzai said in an interview aired late Saturday.

The prospect of all-out conflict between the US and Pakistan remains remote, despite strained relations in recent months, following the killing of Osama bin Laden by US commandos in a secret raid in a Pakistani garrison town.

Nevertheless the comments raised eyebrows among Western officials in Kabul allied to the 10-year campaign to keep the Taliban from returning to power.

Christopher Chambers, a Nato spokesman, told reporters in Kabul, “We all need to focus on much wider dialogue that’s required for peace and which the people of both countries mostly certainly want and certainly deserve.”The palace insisted the remarks were broadcast out of context.

“Pakistani media has misinterpreted it,” said the president’s deputy spokesman Seyamak Herawi.

“They only showed the first part when the president says Afghanistan will back Pakistan if there is a war.”

“Instead, the reference was to Afghanistan’s willingness to house refugees from Pakistan in case of any conflict, in the way that millions of Afghans are given refuge across the border in Pakistan’s northwestern frontier region.

“But in connection with the war on terrorism if there is a war on Pakistan, Afghanistan will not support that,” he further stated.

Relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan have been long-tested, with Karzai recently accusing his neighbour of playing a “double-game” with Afghan insurgents fighting the US-led war effort who hold bases across the border.

In the Geo interview, Karzai also sought to assuage Pakistani fears over US influence in the region following the drawdown of Western combat forces by the end of 2014 and restated his conditions for a long term US partnership.

Afghanistan’s conditions for a US deal include that American troops must not enter Afghan homes, implying that they should end controversial night raids in pursuit of Taliban targets that have caused many civilian casualties.

Dunya News: Pakistan:-Karzai retracts 'Pakistan vs US' remarks...

its still karzai's deputy spokesman and not karzai himself that is retracting statement .. now i never really cared much for his earlier statement either, since karzai being karzai is prone to these bursts..but has the president become so weak that he cant even make a statement on his own and if he does make a mistake he cant even retract it of his own accord ?

You know a part of me misses the Bush years. Why? Because when you think about it, we knew were screwed... the whole world did. Right when that joker sat down in the oval office, everyone understood it was defcon 4. And Obama is not much better, with the exact same policies, but just a more diplomatic face.

I truly missed the Bush era for its comedy. I mean there was so much to laugh it. For instance... in one debate Bush says, after Kerry gets on him about some private wood company... "Got wood?" in reference to the "Got Milk" ad campaign. Each time the man spoke, it was better than Chapelle:

Bushisms - war is a dangerous place - YouTube[/URL]

Now, when Karz-zai, its the same deal. I realize that the good times are back. Every day, he makes a jack-a-s-s out of himself in front of the world. And everyday I get to laugh a little.

Here 1 minute in he does what I call pullin a Karzai:

Karzai: Are You An American Puppet? - YouTube[/URL]

"Oh precious me, puppet am I???? Why because the American people loooove me.... then I am a puppet!"

To say the least, if this whole Cardboard "Im a President" but "I cannot really stop Air Strikes" cut out gig fails, Ill pay to see his gig as Karzai the Clown.

Here is another good one to begin the Karzaisms thread:

Karzai Cries - YouTube

It very much reminded me of this Zoolander clip

What is this??? A CENTER FOR ANTS!? - YouTube

the way karzai talks and acts, i wonder how he has been in power for so long. now of course i know he is propped up by the west but even that cant save him from afghan politics. he has been the longest serving afghan leader since zahir shah, yet the guy almost sounds like a child.

either his public persona is all a front and he is a completely different person behind closed doors, or he just has a weird demeanor when he speaks english to westerners. i have heard of his outbursts behind closed doors to saleh back when he had a job and others, but i just can't visualize it in my head.

He talks like this:

Eugoogalizer: One who speaks at funerals - YouTube

or this:

Zoolander funeral speech scene - YouTube

i dont know, i think he is a very confused man who's job has done a number on his sanity. he is way over his head and didn't think things would get as bad as they did for him. id love to see some candid camera footage of him snapping.

out of all the stooges that have sat in kabul. Karmal, najib, shah shuja. karzai is the most isolated one. his vice presidents have their own militias and would jump at the chance of wacking him given the chance. He is surrounded by people that have no loyalty to him. He is labeled the president that have no respect of president. He has no army that he could command. The only real ally he has in the country is probably HIG. he is in an insane situation. how do you keep a sane mind. He is going down in history as the most unable puppet.