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Afghanistan
Karzai wishes he had sided with the taliban
2010-12-14
WaPo reports today:

- Karzai depressed
- Karzai hard to work with
- Karzai irrational
- Karzai obsessed with getting private security guards out
- US military and diplo personnel don't know what to do
OMG!!!! It's Viet Nam yet again!!!!!1!11!! We need another photo of Marine helicopters taking babies off the roof of the embassy!!!!!

Even Ambassador Holbrooke's last words apparently were that we need to get out of Afghanistan. Just when we're getting so good at following them back across the border and blowing up the compound that the only safe place to be a Number Three is Somalia.
Posted by:lord garth

#10  According to WaPo via Drudge: his final words were to his Pakistani surgeon: "You've got to stop this war in Afghanistan."

Sounds to me more like telling the Pakistanis to stop supporting their Talibunny friends than US Out Now!

As for Karzai, he has to live there with whoever wins. Given that the US has declared their intention to throw the game by leaving early, I can see his point of view.
Posted by: SteveS   2010-12-14 17:25  

#9  i agree with dumping him in a taliban camp, from about 5000 feet
Posted by: chris   2010-12-14 16:50  

#8  Probably most NATO servismen in Afghanistan wish it as well.
Posted by: g(r)omgoru   2010-12-14 15:14  

#7  Diem's death was relatively painless.

Mohammad Najibullah Ahmadzai (the Soviet puppet) was beaten and tortured before being killed. Interestingly, he (Najihbullah) apparently believed he had an "in' with the Taliban and refused an offer of limited asylm in north Afghanistan.
Posted by: Lord Garth   2010-12-14 14:14  

#6  So is Karzai aware of what happened to Diem once we decided we didn't like him anymore?
Posted by: Glenmore   2010-12-14 13:04  

#5  "The biggest problem in our relationship with Karzai is that we don't have any diplomats who actually have a relationship with him," said a U.S. military official in Kabul.

Why not?
Posted by: Uleger Barnsmell4617   2010-12-14 10:57  

#4  Sounds as if Karzai has stashed away enough money for himself and family and it looking around for a safe way to retire.
Posted by: rjschwarz   2010-12-14 10:57  

#3  But the diplomats failed to grasp the depth of his anger - and his belief that the billions in foreign assistance flowing into Afghanistan was causing more harm than good.

"We could have listened to him then," a senior U.S. diplomat said. "But nobody took him seriously."

Why not?
Posted by: Uleger Barnsmell4617   2010-12-14 10:56  

#2  How about dump Karzai in a Taliban camp.
Posted by: Uleger Barnsmell4617   2010-12-14 10:48  

#1  Holbrooke's final words to his surgeon were more likely something along the line of: "Hey! Don't start cutting yet! The anesthetic hasn't kicked in! I don't want to die! Mommy! Give me more drugs! Yargleblargle! Guh! Guh! Grr! (out cold)."
Posted by: Anonymoose   2010-12-14 09:46  

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