Transcript: Hamid Karzai says U.S.-Afghan relationship ‘has been at a low point for a long time’ --- The following are key excerpts from comments Afghan President Hamid Karzai made in a March 1 interview with The Washington Post. Karzai met for more than an hour in his office in the presidential palace with Kevin Sieff, the Afghanistan bureau chief, and Douglas Jehl, the foreign editor. -- On his Feb. 25 telephone conversation with President Obama and their discussion about a stalled bilateral security agreement that would allow some U.S. troops to remain in Afghanistan after 2014: -- “My stand remains the same — that I cannot sign this BSA agreement with the United States without the launch of the peace process. . . . President Obama said, well, the U.S. can wait for the next president. . . . As you’ve heard, the presidential candidates have already said they would sign it, so the U.S. should have no problem.’’ --- “The relationship has been at a low point for a long time, at least since 2007, as far as Afghanistan is concerned and the Afghan president is concerned. It began to deteriorate with the civilian casualties and the neglectful attitude toward my complaints about it. In 2007, we had the most serious incident of civilian casualties in Herat province of Afghanistan, when things turned very difficult between us, and since then it has not recovered. -- “Of course, there other issues as well, secondary to civilian casualties. The private security firms, the parallel government structures, the contracts given to people, to individuals, causing corruption. And, of course, in a deeper way, reflecting a deeper lack of agreement between us, the way the so-called war on terror was fought. The sanctuaries were left alone outside Afghanistan and Pakistan, but the civilian villages were attacked. So when I say civilian casualties and when I say the incorrect strategy, the attack on the Afghan villages, that is exactly the crux of the difficulties.’’ --- “My message there is very clear. The American president has said they are not here for Afghanistan. So it’s not the American blood shed for the Afghanistan or the American resources spent for Afghanistan. If you go to President Obama’s speeches, he repeatedly says that he’s here for the sake of American interests, for the safety of America, for the security of America — that they are here in Afghanistan helping Afghanistan in order to help America. Therefore, it’s not for us — it’s for a cause that America holds dear. -- “And in order to help that cause — the American cause of security and prosperity — the United States came here in 2001 to Afghanistan, and the Afghan people received them with open arms. And we succeeded initially. So it’s not for us — it’s for the U.S. security and for the Western interests. --- “If you pay attention to the statements of U.S. officials and leaders, they say ‘America’s war, America’s war,’ they never say Afghanistan’s war. So the purpose was American, and for that American purpose, or larger Western purpose, they came to Afghanistan. We the Afghans found common ground in that purpose. -- “The common ground was that both of us wanted to be free of terrorism and extremism and to be secure and stable. Now, part of that was achieved for us, the other part was not. And the part that was most important was not achieved, which was security for the Afghan people and protection of Afghan life. And that’s where I have disagreed and that’s where I continue to disagree and raise my voice. --- “My role in view of our experience in the 2009 election is to stop foreign intervention in our elections, and to make sure that no foreigner intervenes in Afghan elections and then blames me or the Afghan government for it and gets away with it. And my role in that regard is to make sure that that doesn’t happen, that I do all I can to bring an election to the Afghan people that they will trust and will ensure our unity and stability.’’ --- “I want an election, and I want the Afghan people to decide for a new president, a new government. I’ve done enough; it’s time for me to move on and to have a new president. I believe it’s good for the country. Even if a great many Afghans want to me to stay, I don’t believe it’s good for the country.’’ --- “The only thing I’ve said publicly is that I love my brother, he’s a great man, he’s a very deserving person, and I am seeing now that he has support as well, considerable support. . . . But because I’m afraid that his presence would call those who want to interfere in Afghan elections — those who want to, if they wanted to spoil it, they would have an element to use, to exploit, for that reason — I’ve told him no, and that’s what I also told this morning to people who came to urge me to not prevent him, that I have done unfortunately. That’s rather an interference, because I am denying the right of a citizen of Afghanistan to run for office, but I have to do it for the larger, bigger interest of Afghanistan. --- “When the U.S. insisted on having the freedom to go and launch operations [as a condition of the agreement over a post-2014 troop presence], I said ‘Why — why do you need to go after Afghan villages after you have the BSA?’ This was one of the most serious issues in discussing the BSA. . . . --- “Foreign assistance brought an expensive way of life to Afghanistan. We will have to end this expensive way of life with or without the presence of the international community here, with or without the presence of the BSA here, with or without the strategic partnership agreement between us and America and others. This way of life is not sustainable. Afghanistan has to live by its means. --- “I am of two hearts here. When I see good, I am in approval. When I see the losses of Afghan people, our children, maimed and killed, I’m in disapproval. So I cannot give you a simple answer of yes or no. It’s very difficult. Maybe I can give you an answer of yes or no two, three, or five years from now, when my emotions have subsided. Right now I’m full of emotions.’’ --- “The world either doesn’t know my intentions or my way of life. If it’s deliberate, then of course it’s political. If it’s not deliberate, then it’s a lack of understanding. I’m not a worldly person by the way, by the standards of today’s world. I am not street smart. I believe in certain things, and I work for it regardless of whether I’m liked or not liked by those who are in power. In other words, I am a pacifist, I am a total, absolute pacifist. I don’t believe in war, and I don’t believe in guns, and I don’t believe in politics. I think it’s dirty.’’ --- “I keep telling my son to be very pacifist. I keep telling him every day. As a 7-year-old, he likes to have toys, and surely he likes to have a gun toy, but I’ve never allowed him one. Never. I’d rather urge him to do more painting — he’s a good painter — and to do calligraphy and things like that.’’ --- “To the American people, give them my best wishes and my gratitude. To the U.S. government, give them my anger, my extreme anger.’’ - More, Washingtonpost, at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/hamid-karzai-says-us-afghan-relationship-has-been-at-a-low-point-for-a-long-time/2014/03/02/945dbc18-a1da-11e3-b8d8-94577ff66b28_story.html