Afghan Opposition Politician Calls for Sharia Rule in Afghanistan, Says: 'I Can Say And Emphasize That Most of Afghanistan's Territory is Under the Taliban's Control; Only Kabul And Some Capitals Such as Jalalabad, Herat, Mazar-e Sharif, are Under The Government's Control'

In a recent interview, Afghan opposition leader and engineer Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai (pictured above), called for Sharia rule in Afghanistan and stressed that Western claims about peace talks with the Taliban militants should not be believed.

Ahmadzai, a U.S.-educated engineering graduate who briefly served as acting Prime Minister of Afghanistan from 1995 to 1996 before the Taliban took over the reins of power, expressed his views in an exclusive interview with the Arabic-language newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat of London.

The Pashtun leader took part part in the jihad against the Soviet troops in Afghanistan during the 1980s. At various stages of his political career, Ahmadzai has been associated with former Mujahideen leaders like Abd Rab Al-Rasul Sayyaf, Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani and most recently Younis Qanooni. During the Taliban rule, he lived outside Afghanistan – in the UK, Turkey, Dubai and Pakistan.

Following are some excerpts from the interview as translated from Arabic:[1]

"The Arabs Helped Us in the Time of Jihad Against the Russians [During the 1980s] And Stood By Us as One Man But Today They Have Abandoned Us"

Q: "What about your main plans today?"

Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai: "I have established a center for Islamic research [to train preachers]. I went to Saudi Arabia to find sponsorship for the preachers… I also established a center for translating the Arabic and Islamic books into the Dari and Pashtu languages instead of waiting for the books that come from Tehran and flood our markets. Today, I oversee a college and a secondary school, in addition to an academy for translation. We are trying to get support to look after preachers…"

Q: "What is your view on the issue that has been repeatedly raised by U.S. officials about Iranian support to [the Afghan government] and Tehran’s investments in the Afghan street, and there is a talk about you having a good relationship with the Iranians?

Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai: "The Iranian presence or its support is 100 percent true. This is a fact that they are helping their people, the followers of the Shi’ite sect; and this is something quite natural. They are helping the Afghan government as [President Hamid] Karzai acknowledged it. But where are Arab brothers? They are fleeing from this country. The Arabs helped us in the time of jihad against the Russians [during the 1980s] and stood by us as one man but today they have abandoned us. I wonder: Where are these [Arab] men? We have not forgotten our Arab brothers’ help during the times of jihad.

"But since the entry of Westerners, they have forgotten us completely. I told them on more than one occasion: What happened? You have forgotten the poor Afghan people. I wonder why they do not come and establish orphanages, repair and reconstruct Afghan mosques which have been lying destroyed since the time of the Russians. The Americans joke with us by saying that they have no programs for the reconstruction of mosques. We ask the Arab brothers to be present in the fields of education, health and sponsorship for orphans. We have been suffering from wars for more than 30 years.

"At present we are being colonized by the forces of more than 40 countries. So far, the foreign forces have done nothing for us except killing; they kill us and get killed [as] well. Don’t believe them when they claim that they have spent a huge amount [of investment] in the streets of Afghan. In fact the bulk of the money has been spent on contractors who came from the West, as well as on the Karzai’s associates and his men. In short the money has been lost because of administrative corruption."

Q: "What is the cause of the administrative corruption which is talked about much in Afghanistan?"

Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai: "The current government has been formed by the Americans and not by the Afghan people. The Americans know well where the bribes go. They also turn a blind eye to the corrupt. Since the arrival of the foreign forces, safety and security has vanished from this country. It looks impossible once again to apply the divine ordinance in accordance with the Islamic law which has been enacted by the Lord Almighty. When I spoke with regard to the application of Sharia on television or public forums, people said to me: ‘You are crazy and an enemy of democracy.’ What is applied today in our country [as our] system of government is closer to the secular system of the West."

"The Americans Came with the So-called Democracy for the Street of Afghanistan And Have Left the Big Corrupt to Do What They Like"

Q: "What is your opinion regarding the present security and political situation ten years after the departure of the Taliban?"

Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai: "The security situation is very bad in the south, 100 times worse than what was in the days of the Taliban. The Americans came with the so-called democracy for the street of Afghanistan and have left the big corrupt to do what they like. I have never been happy about what is happening in this country and most of the population is also not happy. Believe me people have began hankering for the Taliban days because of security reason[s]. The divine ordinances were applied during the Taliban days. But with the presence of Westerners the possibility of the application of Islamic law has vanished from this country.

"I had spoken with General Stanley McChrystal, the former commander of foreign forces, and criticized him in front of more than 50 NATO commanders about his troops’ ignorance of Afghan culture and traditions insofar as [their] implementation of raids, detention of women and killings of children are concerned. For example, for the arrest of a young Afghan, who has gone astray or joined the Taliban, they bomb the whole village.

"I asked them why they surround the village, why not go to the village elders and the influential people and demand from them the arrest of this person on charges of terrorism instead of bombing an entire village and killing 200 villagers. They will hand him over to you. I gave to General McChrystal instances of a number of villages that were raided."

"As Far As Iran is Concerned, Its Relations with the Americans are Bad; They are Helping the Taliban in Improvised Explosive Devices and Other Things"

Q: "From your point of view, do the neighboring countries have a role in resolving the Afghan problem?"

Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai: "Relations of the government in Kabul, unfortunately, are very bad with Pakistan despite the length of the border we share with them and the existence of ethnic Pashtuns on both sides of the border. On the other hand, Karzai’s relations with India are very good. This is a strategic mistake; there are about 2,000 kilometers of borders with Pakistan; they helped us in times of jihad and they hosted about three million Afghan refugees. Pakistan is an important border passage for us but our leaders in Kabul ignore such things.

"As far as Iran is concerned, its relations with the Americans are bad and the American presence here poses a threat to the Iranians; they know it. They are helping the Taliban in improvised explosive devices and other things. It is a well known and obvious fact. The Iranians are our neighbors and the U.S. presence in Afghanistan is also a threat to the Iranians because they are also on the line of the war.

"We have six neighbors: Pakistan, Iran, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and China; and our relations with them must be very good. The Afghans are in need of any kind of help from their neighbors."

Q: "Have you met with Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, before?"

Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai: "Yes, he was with us during the years of jihad against the Russians [in the 1980s] and helped the Mujahideen with money. After the September [11] attacks, I lived in London. The British officials came to me and asked about him. I told them to ask President George Bush about his whereabouts."

Q: "Why is there no desire for the Afghan government to improve relations with the Arab countries?"

Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai: "Before answering this question, it should be made amply clear that the Americans and Karzai’s assistants, such as Marshal Fahim, have killed many of our Arab brothers during their chase after the fall of the Taliban. These were the Arab brothers who fought with us against the Russian forces neck-to-neck at the time of jihad. We cannot return their favor in this way."

"[The Afghan] Muslim Nation will Only Accept the Application of Sharia Law and As Long As the Americans are Present in Afghanistan, the War will Not Stop"

Q: From your point of view, what is the solution to the problems and crises of the Afghans?"

Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai: "It can be held here that this Muslim nation will only accept the application of Sharia law and as long as the Americans are present in Afghanistan, the war will not stop. The simple solution is the departure of foreign troops from our country. Their presence is a major cause for administrative corruption; and this situation cannot continue for a long [time]. I can say and emphasize that most of Afghanistan’s territory is under the Taliban’s control; only Kabul and some capitals such as Jalalabad, Herat, Mazar-e Sharif, are under the government’s control. The Taliban are in control of the situation.

"Do not believe that there is any security and stability in the country; it’s a big lie. When confronted with the Taliban, they [the Americans] do not disembark from their tanks or armored vehicles and they run the military operations from inside armored vehicles because they fear a direct confrontation with the Taliban. Even the Russians were more courageous in the confrontation at the time of our jihad and fighting against them. As for the Americans, they have overwhelming air power but without their planes they cannot win the war. The Afghans would not accept anything but getting rid of the secular system of governance and re-apply the Sharia law, the system which is prevailing in Saudi Arabia. Most of the Afghans accept that and are happy with it."

Q: "Do you think that the foreign troops in Afghanistan are part of the solution?"

Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai: "When they came, they said they were there to fight terrorism and the terrorists. During their stay here, they have raided many of our villages and have killed innocent people in missile strikes on villages. In the time of the Russians, they did not undertake raids on the homes of Afghans. Americans have insulted our language, our customs and cultures. I told them that it was a shame to touch women. In our traditions, you have to kill the men before reaching their women…"

"Believe Me, There is No Sign of the Talks or the Peace; And What’s Emanating from Karzai’s Men… About a Future Reconciliation with the Taliban… is Just Like the Proverb Known as ‘the Words in the Air"’

Q: "What is your view on reports about talks between the Taliban and representatives of the government of President Karzai to end the violence and rebellion?"

Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai: "Believe me, there is no sign of the talks or the peace; and what’s emanating from Karzai’s men and his advisors about a future reconciliation with the Taliban, [Gulbuddin] Hekmatyar and the Haqqani Group is just like the proverb known as ‘the words in the air’; that’s for local consumption, because the Taliban are demanding the withdrawal of foreign forces from of Afghan territory before starting any talks. This is a condition – I believe – the Taliban will never part with.

"On the other hand the government of President Karzai is weak and cannot ask the Americans to get out of our country, or even discuss such matters with them."

Q: "What do you think of Saudi Arabia's role in persuading the Taliban to accept the reconciliation, peace and restoration of stability on the Afghan territory?"

Ahmad Shah Ahmadzai: "There is no direct contact between the Taliban leadership living outside Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia. I can say here that: before such talks about reconciliation, I attended a meeting which took place between the representatives of the Taliban leadership and an American general a year and a few months ago, almost the summer of last year, in the downtown of the capital Kabul. I was the mediator in organizing this meeting. This man’s name was Mullah Mohammed; it was not his real name but the name that he used during the talks with the American General Reider [unclear], the head of the commandos because of security concerns. I went to the office of General Reider because of a personal request from him. He is a very polite man. He asked me about three questions pertaining to the opinion of the Afghans about the United States of America. I asked him to let me speak frankly and I told him, ‘You are the invading occupiers.’ He laughed aloud and said he was aware of that. I told him I hold no position in government and when I speak I do not have any political sensitivities.

"He asked me another question: Can we buy the Taliban? I said: It is difficult to buy a follower of Mullah Omar and Hekmatyar. He said to me: What do we do? I told him, do not kill yourself and us; you have sophisticated weapons and if you kill twenty Afghans, the Afghans will kill at least five of you. The American general told me that President Karzai said that I have connections to the Taliban and has asked me to organize a meeting with anyone from the movement’s leadership. I told him I would fix a meeting with a delegate of Hekmatyar and another of the Taliban. It took me about four months and their entry to the capital Kabul was facilitated by the International Forces.

"The meeting took place in Kabul. The Taliban representative claimed that his name was Mullah Mohammed. The meeting lasted for about two hours. The representative of the Taliban said to the American General: ‘I am your enemy; I will kill myself to oust you from our land because Karzai and his advisers want your money. But the Taliban want nothing but your withdrawal from our land. If you can buy even one of the leaders of the Taliban for 20 million dollars, we will surrender before you and would not fight against you.

"The Taliban representative also told him: We sat with the ‘CIA’ in southern Kandahar airport two years back and you told us that before your departure you did not want any presence of ‘Al-Qaeda’ in Afghanistan. Another condition of yours was that you (we the Taliban) let the U.S. forces hold control over three airports. We told you that separation from the ‘Al-Qaeda’ is an easy and acceptable task, but to give you the airports or the bases is impossible because it is not in line with the convictions of the Taliban regarding freedom and independence. Mullah Mohammad told the U.S. General: ‘You are not serious in your talks or your withdrawal from our territory; and therefore we kill ourselves and kill you simply because you are not sincere."