Afghan Ex-President Outlines Role in Politics, Peace - Wall Street Journal

KABUL—A huge poster of Hamid Karzai that once dominated a square in central Kabul was recently replaced by an image of his successor, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani.

But Mr. Karzai, who left office in September after 13 years as president in Afghanistan’s first democratic transfer of power, still looms over his country’s politics.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, he said he advises President Ghani and his coalition partner, Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah, and maintains a retinue of former government officials. His century-old house is in a compound adjacent to that of the presidential palace. He has numerous visitors from around the country, including tribal elders, and receives them in a living room decorated with official portraits and a drawing of a house by his young son, Mirwais.

“The past three months my daily meetings are in large groups—it’s almost 90% with the younger lot, with the younger people, and mostly those who got educated in the past 13 years. That is a pleasant thing, and also a very happy surprise.”

In the interview, Mr. Karzai emphasized his commitment to helping broker peace talks with the Taliban, who fought his own government.

“With regard to the Taliban, I would call upon them once again as brothers to recognize that this is their country,” Mr. Karzai said. “That those who suffer are their compatriots.”   Read More at  Afghan Ex-President Outlines
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