Karzai would attack American planes bombing villages in Afghanistan if he could

[eridani]

http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSISL40856620081126

Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Wednesday he would bring down U.S. planes bombing villages if he could, in a sign of growing tension between Afghanistan and its Western backers as the Taliban insurgency grows in strength.

As Western dissatisfaction with Karzai has grown over his failure to crack down on corruption and govern effectively, the Afghan president, facing elections next year, has hit back over the killing of dozens of civilians in foreign air strikes.

In recent weeks, Karzai has repeatedly blamed the West for the worsening security in Afghanistan, saying NATO failed to target Taliban and al Qaeda sanctuaries in Pakistan and calling for the war to be taken out of Afghan villages.

"We have no other choice, we have no power to stop the planes, if we could, if I could ... we would stop them and bring them down," Karzai told a news conference.

He said that if he had something like the rock attached to a piece of string, known as a chelak in Dari, used to bring down kites in Afghanistan, he would use it.

"If we had a chelak, we would throw it and stop the American aircraft. We have no radar to stop them in the sky, we have no planes," he said. "I wish I could intercept the planes that are going to bomb Afghan villages, but that's not in my hands."

[TomInTib]

1. I hope he is quite prepared to die.

Mr Karzai is not long for this world. And neither is his "Government".

Watch closely, now.....

[LaurenG]

2. You'd think that they would at least talk to Karzai about this!

:shrug:

[mucifer]

3. seriously who would want their country bombed by foreigners?

[RC]

4. Bombing wedding parties is so much fun when you can rack up points for

killing #2's in al-Quata.

[Selatius]

5. Karzai speaks with no teeth. He would not burn his last bridge to power.

If he somehow could get American planes blown out of the skies of Afghanistan, he would simply ensure that an American unit will storm his seat of power in Kabul and toss him out to be replaced with a loyal puppet. He only talks tough to try to save his own hide from the wrath of fellow Afghans.