One of Afghanistan's most feared and wanted warlords has warned that the country could collapse into a murderous civil war after the withdrawal of Nato troops next year.
In the bleakest assessment yet of Afghanistan's
future, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar called for a "peaceful transition of the
government" to democracy. But, in a wide-ranging interview arranged
with The Daily Telegraph, he added that he feared a descent into
chaos and anarchy similar to that which followed the withdrawal of the
Russians in the 1980s.
Hekmatyar, a veteran of that bloody war, warned: "Today the scenario of
Afghanistan is exactly like that of one year before the withdrawal of Soviet
Union. The Americans and their allies are tired of fighting. They can
neither bear the casualties nor the expenses of this war any more. They are
left with no other option except withdrawal."
This brutally realistic analysis of the military situation will be sharply
challenged by David
Cameron, who issued a sunnily optimistic message when he visited
British troops just before Christmas.
Yet it cannot be ignored since it comes from one of just a handful of Afghan
warlords who, through his Hezb-e-Islami political party, holds the key to
peace in Afghanistan after coalition forces are due to withdraw in less than
two years' time.
Hekmatyar has spent most of the past 11 years on the run. He is thought to
have played a role in helping Osama bin Laden escape from the Tora Bora
mountains after the fall of the Taliban in 2001. In 2003 he was designated a "global
terrorist" by the United States, and has been labelled a "war
criminal" by President Hamid Karzai's government in Kabul.
He has survived an assassination attempt by the CIA, and is believed to have
masterminded some of the bloodiest attacks against American and British
forces over the past few years. Today his exact whereabouts are unknown,
though he is believed to be based in the mountains of south-eastern
Afghanistan.
The Daily Telegraph's interview could not be carried out face-to-face. Instead, a series of questions were dispatched through an intermediary, and the answers, recorded on video tape, were returned within three weeks. The video shows that Hekmatyar, a veteran of 40 years of Afghan warfare and intrigue, now sports a white beard, though he retains his trademark black turban.
He gave answers to all of the questions sent to him. When asked what he believes will follow when combat troops pull out in 2014 his answer was both terrifying and encouraging: "The fact is that the government has failed. The authorities have lost heir credibility completely. They have fallen victims to severe internal disputes and seem hopeless and worried.
"The foreign forces have failed and the situation is worsening by the day. We might face a dreadful situation after 2014 which no one could have anticipated."
But this dire assessment was accompanied by a warm language about the democratic future of Afghanistan.
Indeed Hekmatyar sounded more like a UN election observer than a feared warlord who as prime minister of Afghanistan in the 1980s was responsible for the murderous shelling of Kabul. He called for a 'peaceful transition of the government' and demanded a 'free and fair election,' saying that the winner of a majority of the votes should 'be accepted by all.'
He added that Hezb-e-Islami was ready to take part in the 2014 presidential elections, though he set out two conditions: 'complete withdrawal of all foreign forces and elections in which all parties are equally represented. If these conditions are accepted, then we are ready to take part in the election.'
Strikingly Hekmatyar has dropped a great deal of the fanatical Islamist language for which he was notorious as a young leader. There were no calls for jihad against godless infidels.
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, left, claimed Prince Harry, right at a Las Vegas
party, was a jackal trying to hunt lions
Rather he presented himself as a leader of the national resistance against foreign oppressors. When asked whether he supported the Pakistan Taliban strategy of blocking girls' education, Hekmatyar was outraged: 'We are against the blowing up of schools and other institutions not only in Afghanistan and Pakistan but elsewhere in the world. I don't think that a devoted majahid could be involved in such things.'
Hekmatyar denied any links with the Pakistan Taliban, and accused foreign intelligence agencies of being involved in attacks on schools and other atrocities.
Indeed he insisted that Hezb-e-Islami 'consider education is as necessary for girls as it is for boys. We don't discriminate in this regard. The only thing that we are against is boys and girls being taught together. We think that is harmful from any perspective."
He mocked the Afghan National Army, upon which Coalition hopes depend for a peaceful future for Afghanistan, declaring that 'it is not a national army. It is made by the hands of others. The soldiers of Northern Alliance have worn American uniform. The basic aim behind making of this army was to use it against freedom fighters and freedom seekers.'
Hekmatyar reserved his most eloquent vitriol, however, for Britain, portraying British troops as lackeys of the Americans and describing Prince Harry, currently serving as a helicopter pilot with British troops in Helmand province, as a 'jackal'. Hekmatyar declared that "The British prince comes to Afghanistan to kill innocent Afghans while he is drunk. He wants to hunt down Mujaheddin with his helicopter rockets without any shame.
Prince Harry manning the 50mm machine gun on the observation post at JTAC Hill, close to FOB Delhi (forward operating base), in Helmand province Southern Afghanistan
'But he does not understand this simple fact that the hunting of Afghan lions and eagles is not that easy! Jackals cannot hunt lions. During the Mujaheddin attack on the American base the Prince saw that he was the one about to be hunted and was searching for a hole in which to hide himself.
'It seems that some British authorities still dream about the times of the eighteenth and nineteenth century and they want their ambassador to be treated like a viceroy and their prince to go out in uniform to hunt for human beings and play the satanic role that they used to play in the past.' But Britain's historic role in creating such conflicts is now finished, adds Hekmatyar: 'The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have proved that Britain has to go and take part instead in proxy wars – and this is what she cannot afford even for a short space of time. The fact is that America and her allies have lost the right to rule and lead the world both administratively and morally.'
Hekmatyar insisted that British troops had achieved nothing.
Britain dragged herself into this unjustified, useless but cruel conflict to please the White House. The British did not gain anything instead they lost blood and treasure.
They never had a positive role in Afghan affairs and they will not have any significance after 2014.
I do not understand how the British public accept their children being sent to certain death in order to please American generals".
Speaking before David Cameron's announcement of further cuts in Britain's military presence in Afghanistan, he offered to facilitate an early departure of Nato forces, saying that 'if they want a respectful exit, we can help them in this regard.'
David Cameron visits troops at Christmas
But behind these rhetorical blasts against the British and the Americans lurks an apparent readiness to play a creative role in the creation of a peaceful Afghanistan in the future. Hekmatyar concluded with a ten policy statement for his Hezb-e-Islami political party in which he called on 'all the stakeholders within Afghanistan to join hands for a workable solution for Afghanistan and resolve disputes without the involvement or influence of foreign forces.'
Watch the video of Hekmatyar's brutal analysis of Afghanistan
telegraph.co.uk/world
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/9774541/Britain-and-Prince-Harry-are-failing-in-Afghanistan-says-warlord.htmlThe Daily Telegraph's interview could not be carried out face-to-face. Instead, a series of questions were dispatched through an intermediary, and the answers, recorded on video tape, were returned within three weeks. The video shows that Hekmatyar, a veteran of 40 years of Afghan warfare and intrigue, now sports a white beard, though he retains his trademark black turban.
He gave answers to all of the questions sent to him. When asked what he believes will follow when combat troops pull out in 2014 his answer was both terrifying and encouraging: "The fact is that the government has failed. The authorities have lost heir credibility completely. They have fallen victims to severe internal disputes and seem hopeless and worried.
"The foreign forces have failed and the situation is worsening by the day. We might face a dreadful situation after 2014 which no one could have anticipated."
But this dire assessment was accompanied by a warm language about the democratic future of Afghanistan.
Indeed Hekmatyar sounded more like a UN election observer than a feared warlord who as prime minister of Afghanistan in the 1980s was responsible for the murderous shelling of Kabul. He called for a 'peaceful transition of the government' and demanded a 'free and fair election,' saying that the winner of a majority of the votes should 'be accepted by all.'
He added that Hezb-e-Islami was ready to take part in the 2014 presidential elections, though he set out two conditions: 'complete withdrawal of all foreign forces and elections in which all parties are equally represented. If these conditions are accepted, then we are ready to take part in the election.'
Strikingly Hekmatyar has dropped a great deal of the fanatical Islamist language for which he was notorious as a young leader. There were no calls for jihad against godless infidels.
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, left, claimed Prince Harry, right at a Las Vegas
party, was a jackal trying to hunt lions
Rather he presented himself as a leader of the national resistance against foreign oppressors. When asked whether he supported the Pakistan Taliban strategy of blocking girls' education, Hekmatyar was outraged: 'We are against the blowing up of schools and other institutions not only in Afghanistan and Pakistan but elsewhere in the world. I don't think that a devoted majahid could be involved in such things.'
Hekmatyar denied any links with the Pakistan Taliban, and accused foreign intelligence agencies of being involved in attacks on schools and other atrocities.
Indeed he insisted that Hezb-e-Islami 'consider education is as necessary for girls as it is for boys. We don't discriminate in this regard. The only thing that we are against is boys and girls being taught together. We think that is harmful from any perspective."
He mocked the Afghan National Army, upon which Coalition hopes depend for a peaceful future for Afghanistan, declaring that 'it is not a national army. It is made by the hands of others. The soldiers of Northern Alliance have worn American uniform. The basic aim behind making of this army was to use it against freedom fighters and freedom seekers.'
Hekmatyar reserved his most eloquent vitriol, however, for Britain, portraying British troops as lackeys of the Americans and describing Prince Harry, currently serving as a helicopter pilot with British troops in Helmand province, as a 'jackal'. Hekmatyar declared that "The British prince comes to Afghanistan to kill innocent Afghans while he is drunk. He wants to hunt down Mujaheddin with his helicopter rockets without any shame.
Prince Harry manning the 50mm machine gun on the observation post at JTAC Hill, close to FOB Delhi (forward operating base), in Helmand province Southern Afghanistan
'But he does not understand this simple fact that the hunting of Afghan lions and eagles is not that easy! Jackals cannot hunt lions. During the Mujaheddin attack on the American base the Prince saw that he was the one about to be hunted and was searching for a hole in which to hide himself.
'It seems that some British authorities still dream about the times of the eighteenth and nineteenth century and they want their ambassador to be treated like a viceroy and their prince to go out in uniform to hunt for human beings and play the satanic role that they used to play in the past.' But Britain's historic role in creating such conflicts is now finished, adds Hekmatyar: 'The wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have proved that Britain has to go and take part instead in proxy wars – and this is what she cannot afford even for a short space of time. The fact is that America and her allies have lost the right to rule and lead the world both administratively and morally.'
Hekmatyar insisted that British troops had achieved nothing.
Britain dragged herself into this unjustified, useless but cruel conflict to please the White House. The British did not gain anything instead they lost blood and treasure.
They never had a positive role in Afghan affairs and they will not have any significance after 2014.
I do not understand how the British public accept their children being sent to certain death in order to please American generals".
Speaking before David Cameron's announcement of further cuts in Britain's military presence in Afghanistan, he offered to facilitate an early departure of Nato forces, saying that 'if they want a respectful exit, we can help them in this regard.'
David Cameron visits troops at Christmas
But behind these rhetorical blasts against the British and the Americans lurks an apparent readiness to play a creative role in the creation of a peaceful Afghanistan in the future. Hekmatyar concluded with a ten policy statement for his Hezb-e-Islami political party in which he called on 'all the stakeholders within Afghanistan to join hands for a workable solution for Afghanistan and resolve disputes without the involvement or influence of foreign forces.'
Watch the video of Hekmatyar's brutal analysis of Afghanistan
telegraph.co.uk/world
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