China expands its role in Afghanistan, Pakistan
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KABUL: China has promised to help build a hydroelectric power plant in a violent Afghan border region, as well as road and rail links to Pakistan, in the latest sign it is taking a more active role in Afghanistan.
The assistance will include an unspecified amount of financing, an Afghan foreign ministry spokesman, Sirajul Haq Siraj, said on Tuesday, a day after senior Afghan, Chinese and Pakistani diplomats met in Kabul.
“China agreed to support relevant initiatives for projects including the Kunar hydropower plant and strengthening road and rail connections between Afghanistan and Pakistan,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying told a daily news briefing in Beijing.
The planned 1,500 megawatt dam on the Kunar River, was previously supported only by Pakistan, which could buy some of the electricity it generates.
In 2013, Pakistan said it would also build a motorway connecting the Pakistani city of Peshawar to Kabul, as well as a railway line from Chaman, on the Pakistani side of Afghanistan's southeastern border to the southern Afghan city of Kandahar.
Kunar is one of Afghanistan's most active battlefields, with deep valleys and forests near the Pakistan border providing cover for different factions of the Taliban.
China's involvement could speed up work on these projects, though major Chinese investments including a large copper mine and railway link near Kabul have been put on hold partly because of militant violence. Siraj said the amount of Chinese financing for the dam and other projects would be decided in later trilateral meetings.
At the meeting, the diplomats also discussed ways to bring Taliban militants to the negotiating table, following a Chinese proposal late last year for a “peace and reconciliation” forum.
“The three sides resolved to make concerted efforts in maintaining peace and stability in Afghanistan,” Pakistan said in a statement.
China has growing interests in Afghanistan, which offers a possible route to the sea from China's landlocked west.
China wants the country to be stable, both to help it exploit mineral resources and to weaken Islamist militants it says operate in the far western Chinese region of Xinjiang, which borders both Afghanistan and Pakistan.
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On DawnNews
Comments (78) Closed
Feb 10, 2015 09:21pm
The best thing about China's help in development of Afghanistan will be purely on humanitarian ground with any string attached. After all these years of fighting Afghanistan needs to develop on modern lines & China can do it. The best part is that the Afghans desire to get help from China.
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Feb 10, 2015 09:22pm
Probably the best news regarding the regional strategic politics in a while. China's expansion into Afghanistan somehow gives Pakistan breathing space to set herself in order. Since China neither has any history with the Taliban nor it has any sides to pacify for her own strategic interest in Afghanistan, therefore she will naturally succeed. Pakistan should let China compete with India in Afghanistan and work on her own counter terrorism policy.
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Feb 10, 2015 09:23pm
I hope that China can help both Pakistan and Afghanistan and put both countries on the path to recovery, peace, and prosperity. I wish the Peoples of China, Afghanistan and Pakistan much success and a better future.
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Feb 10, 2015 09:24pm
Welcome to the new surge of imperialism. East Africa is already under its grip.
If our nation was a strong self sufficient people, we would not have needed other countries to help us. But such has been our destiny. We never had good governance which gave us good education, jobs and pride to come up to our full potential. We have the ability but not the skills to be united and patriotic. However, the option of falling prey of mullahism has all but ruined us.
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Feb 10, 2015 09:27pm
A better alternative than USA I guess
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Feb 10, 2015 09:28pm
china can help afganistan much more than india...good for afgan peoples..if terrorism ends,afganistan will become rich overnight....they have huge amount of mineral resources....
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Feb 10, 2015 09:29pm
Afghanistan is very rich in natural resources, 1400 mineral fields, such as barite, chromite, copper, iron ore, gold, precious and semi precious stones, and definitely China wants to make best use of it.
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Feb 10, 2015 09:32pm
Hey !!!
Thats called an emerging super power :)
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Feb 10, 2015 09:33pm
Poor Afgans... USSR attacked them.. USA destroyed them.. now its turn by China.. China will loot every grain of Minerals and turn the land to a dessert...
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Feb 10, 2015 09:36pm
little late but still it will make a big difference
Indians not gonna like it
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Feb 10, 2015 09:36pm
china steps in, believe me i have been to guangzhou...its all about business there :)
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Feb 10, 2015 09:41pm
Chinese development projects in Afghanistan will be same as they are in pakistan, only in Paper, nowhere to be seen on ground and even if they start anything on ground most of the jobs generated by the projects will be taken by the chinese themselves.
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Feb 10, 2015 09:41pm
'China has growing interests in Afghanistan, which offers a possible route to the sea from China's landlocked west.' Whaaaat? Have Reuters completely lost it? Afghanistan itself is a land locked country with no access to sea and Reuters claim that Afghanistan will provide a route to the sea!!! LOL
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Feb 10, 2015 09:43pm
"China has growing interests in Afghanistan, which offers a possible route to the sea from China's landlocked west". Please make the correction. It should be "Pakistan" instead of "Afghanistan" or please check the map. Chinese interest in Afghanistan emanates from Afghanistan location as a gateway to central asia not a "possible route to the sea"
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Feb 10, 2015 09:48pm
Good for Afghan economy.
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Feb 10, 2015 09:58pm
Very good. Better than selfish America.
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Feb 10, 2015 10:03pm
Pakistan really needs to pay attention to why China is investing so heavily in Afghanistan. Did they secretly agree to something that's obvious but is not being said. Just a little thought provoking comment. I don't consider China a trustworthy ally.
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Feb 10, 2015 10:05pm
@joy Pakistan has had Chinese help for a while. Not seen any riches come to pakistan so far... Never lose hope though! China may deliver you to your promised la la land some day :)
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Feb 10, 2015 10:07pm
@rana we are doing our business with them so we don't care about China. China has its own goals and nothing for you as usa used u & give u aid. They will also exploit u. So stand on your own foot like iran
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Feb 10, 2015 10:09pm
@rana If any country take up development works means ,creation of more job , good education , better lively hood ,reduction in strikes ,unrest and also better relation with neighboring countries .As a Indian I welcome the move by three nations and I hope it will materialize soon
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Feb 10, 2015 10:11pm
There are ppl who depend n bat for other ppl but do nothing for themselves of others just beg n want others to become beggers too.
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Feb 10, 2015 10:33pm
business
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Feb 10, 2015 10:37pm
As an Indian, i like this move. Would like to welcome our chinese counterparts on board.
Less work and burden for India!
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Feb 10, 2015 10:38pm
This is the big difference between China and America. China wants to invest and create opportunities whereas America wants to destroy and project its power.
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Feb 10, 2015 10:46pm
Love our Chinese friends and allies. Our China policy is the best thing about Pakistan's foreign policy.
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Feb 10, 2015 11:05pm
We must go forward with Silk Road initiative. Ties between EU, Turkey, Central Asia, Pakistan/Afghanistan and China can make our region an economic power house. From our side we must make Gwadar fully operational and our intelligence agencies must ensure that no nearby hostile element (state or otherwise) disturb or try to meddle in these objectives.
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Feb 10, 2015 11:09pm
@Ahmed Shaikh We need to keep the indians out of Afghanistan and therefore need a regime in Afghanistan like Ghani's who wont bend over to india the way Karzai (enemy of Afghans) did. This is pure geo politics at play. India has always tried to use Afghanistan as a staging ground for attacks against Pakistan and this is the case ever since even before the soviet invasion of Afghanistan. india has no business in that region, China and Pakistan will be sure to have their role minimized to nothing.
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Feb 10, 2015 11:10pm
@Balochi What ruined Afghanistan was wars
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Feb 10, 2015 11:16pm
@Mohammed Honestly, Pak-China relationship is just a marriage of convenience and a forcefully stitched alliance. The only common interest is India and nothing else - Pakistan dislikes India, while China is wary of a democratic India and would like to see little influence from it in Asia on the economic front. That's what makes this alliance work, but it stands on a weak set of principles.
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Feb 10, 2015 11:16pm
@Abdulla Hussin
"purely on humanitarian ground " - In international politics, there is no such thing as humanitarian aid. Everything is for the strategic benefit.
You will find out.
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Feb 10, 2015 11:30pm
@Rajput apply that to your own country, which has 2nd largest debt in the world.
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Feb 10, 2015 11:32pm
China will do a better job in Afghanistan then Russia or US did.
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Feb 10, 2015 11:34pm
It was Pakistan that convinced China to get involved in Afghanistan. Fearing a US withdrawal, leaving a vacuum, and return to warlord days. Building of an Western block.
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Feb 10, 2015 11:35pm
Yes kick Indians out of Afghanistan
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Feb 10, 2015 11:45pm
China with diplomacy and tact will do what America failed to do with bullets and bombs.
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Feb 10, 2015 11:53pm
@Balochi yes this is true
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Feb 11, 2015 12:21am
@Syed Ganga Din
China is trust worthy and far far better than Uncle Sam,these Chinese dont support terrorism unlike USA ,US turned syria,Libya in to war and now they seems to be far behind than Afghanistan and it will take 100 years to rebuild and US,USSR were the powers who ruined Afghanistan what was left from Indians..Indian were the first who started proxy against Pakistan in Afghanistan after independence 1947 when Afghanistan and Pakistan had a dispute on piece of Land and india used that For personal gains and Afghanistan let indians to do whatever they want to do against Pakistan...so China is better and not like Indian,USA,Russia and at time of need Afghanistan need investment it doesn't matter who is investing what..
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Feb 11, 2015 12:29am
Did the Afghans see what China has done in Africa and in Latin America...? China has sucked their resources dry. Hope the Afghans walk carefully on this China offer.
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Feb 11, 2015 12:31am
This is a good development and will build as well as integrate the regional economies. It will also provide loads of employment locally to this often neglected border region.
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Feb 11, 2015 12:45am
It is good to see that china is playing an active role in the development of Aghanistan , contrary to the perfunctory status by Pakistan and India. Chinese influence in Afghanistan would be positive and will certainly play an important part to clear the air of animosity in the terror infested Afghan - Pakistan Border.
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Feb 11, 2015 01:02am
@Imran Siddiqui Good observation.
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Feb 11, 2015 01:45am
Chinese diplomacy is soft and without strings whereas US diplomacy has a lot to be desired
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Feb 11, 2015 02:08am
Work on new Silk Road Project(rail & road link) through Kazakhstan-Russia-Europe to Spain has already started. This will enable Chinese to send their container to Spain & Rome in maximum 2 days. The rest of corridors & silk routes are just stories on papers just to make us happy. Turkmenistan has completed feasibility & started work on rail road link from Afghanistan to Europe via Turkmenistan-Azerbaijan-Georgia-Turkey to Europe. This could be a good alternate trade route ultimately linking Tajikistan & China...good for container trade to be completed in next 2 years.
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Feb 11, 2015 02:14am
The statement should be read as:
"China has growing interests in Afghanistan, which offers a possible land & train route from China's landlocked west to Central Asia and Eastern Europe".
If this is correct the traffic line will bypass Pakistan, what are we negotiating?
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Feb 11, 2015 02:18am
@Balochi and you will keep on weeping
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Feb 11, 2015 02:24am
Will China also compete with India to have a thousand Embassies in Afghanistan?
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Feb 11, 2015 02:25am
@Balochi - dear what would you do with a big diamond stone? Nothing right. My friend think global not local these days. If u dont have a use forbit let someone else use it and you get jobs and revenue for the nation in return. Afghanistan wont be able to dig it out forget about purifying it. So please my Baluch friend change ur mind set and wish every one well. Lets contribute to the world with fair hsares offcourse
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Feb 11, 2015 02:26am
China's interest in peace and security in Afghanistan is crucial as that is bound to coax Pakistan into sincerely cooperate beyond any rhetoric in fighting terrorists without any distinction Unstable Afghanistan, will further deteriorate Pakistan's security environment as it is already plagued by religious extremism and violent militancy. Clearly, the ball is in the Rawalpindi's court.
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Feb 11, 2015 02:36am
This is great! Nothing succeeds like economic success... let there be competition amongst China, Pakistan, India, Iran and many others to provide best investment terms to Afghanistan and may the best bidder win... good for Afghanistan and good for the world!!
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Feb 11, 2015 02:39am
Seems Chinese have accepted defeat in their 50 year long Karakorum silk road project. Access to sea will be through american controlled Afghanistan. If they keep buying american debt fine otherwise back to yellow sea. All sorted.
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Feb 11, 2015 02:41am
@azmat China can access the Chabahar, Iranian seaport through Afghanistan. Also, china can meet its energy needs via Afghanistan from Turkmenistan. Hence, China's overriding role in Afghanistan is quite understandable that will contribute significantly to the speedy developmentand prosperity of Afghanistan, and ensure peace and security in the region
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Feb 11, 2015 02:49am
@Whatever yes maybe strings attached but unlike the U.S.-India agreement which has ropes attached!
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Feb 11, 2015 02:51am
@Spiky I don't think so!
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Feb 11, 2015 02:53am
@Imran Siddiqui don't you understand they mean build links to Pakistan and therefore get access to the sea!
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Feb 11, 2015 02:55am
@Syed Ganga Din way better than the U.S. though!
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Feb 11, 2015 03:23am
'Pakistan to buy some electricity generated...'? What? Why can't they build it here? Why in Afganistan?
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Feb 11, 2015 03:25am
India will be happy with this news as it takes some of the pressure off them
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Feb 11, 2015 03:28am
@zeeshan Business is better than robbery.
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Feb 11, 2015 06:09am
China has dangerous intentions definitely.
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Feb 11, 2015 06:16am
Devil is in details.In Africa China gives large amount of loam for a project when host country cant repay the loan is converted in to wquity and China is the majority share holder what happens next you can figure out
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Feb 11, 2015 06:22am
@Abdulla Hussin It's China and how many people visit China to study there?
You don't know China properly.
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Feb 11, 2015 06:24am
China is the latest blunder that Pakistan and Afghanistan is committing. Look around the world and prepare the list of countries that were made prosperous by Chiba. The list starts with North Korea, Myanmar, Zambia, congo and so on where Chinese workers are flooding and locals are becoming jobless. Godbless AF-Pak
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Feb 11, 2015 06:25am
@George : In what way? When a helicopter crashed in Abbottabad and the US asked Pakistan to keep it guarded yet Pakistan allowed access to Chinese. Why? Still US is pouring aid in Pakistan. How much has China done for Pakistan, other than some lucrative business deals for Chinese companies. Is US preventing Muslims from fasting or practicing Islam? Some are calling China an economic super power. China's economy is dependent upon assembling the parts invented and supplied mostly by the US companies. Other than the gun powder, noodles, chopsticks, fortune cookies and green tea, what has China invented? China is now touting JF-17 which falls into the category of F-86 discarded by the USAF 30 years ago. I can go on but I will be playing a piano in front of buffalos.
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Feb 11, 2015 06:31am
Excellent proposal but it will help Pakistan only if its political leadership play a positive role because it will also create opportunity for more corruption.
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Feb 11, 2015 06:39am
@Balochi completely agreed! Wish that Pakistan shall also not become the prey of China...
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Feb 11, 2015 06:41am
@rkn that's so ture. Everybody is concerned about their vested interests.. so Hello business!
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Feb 11, 2015 06:42am
@Fawad Ahmad : What has 1947 got to do with relations between India and Afghanistan? It was India before 1947 and Afghanistan had very good diplomatic relationship. King Zahir Shah maintained that relationship even after 1947. So let's put that aside for a minute and let me understand what China has done for Pakistan? To answer that question you need to look at Africa and see what China has done.
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Feb 11, 2015 06:43am
To the people of Pakistan and Afghanistan: You need your own strong feet and not the imported crutches.
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Feb 11, 2015 06:50am
Bravo!!!...China is Pakistan's great friend...our friendship is taller than the mountains...deeper than the sea...sweeter than the honey...
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Feb 11, 2015 07:06am
Pakistan and Afghanistan become friendly after Ghani was elected, and now come the rewards.
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Feb 11, 2015 08:14am
Why Pakistan need one empirical master after other. We had too much through US friendship, Saudi Friendship and now we are marketing China as our savior. We never allowed communism in our country and now we are opening them our country. Is this what Jinnah wanted for Pakistan? China never gives anything free and China is neither a friend.
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Feb 11, 2015 08:56am
@Sonny Afridi : it is wrong to say Karzai, the enemy of Afghans. It is perception entailed across the border but to Afghans still he is seen a respected man.
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Feb 11, 2015 09:03am
Afghanistan has a longlasting diplomatic, cultural and people to people relationship with India, as has been with Pakistan with one extra element the religion. But India so far has invested in Afghanistan more than 2 billion dollars which is much appreciated. It would be much better for Pakistan and other neighbors to jump in and start investing to compete with India in a contructive way and put forward the all efforts to double the trade, open ways for free trade, and explore all possible fronts to let the region boom not only a particular country.
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Feb 11, 2015 10:14am
@Akhtar
Do you remember Afganistan 10 years ago? The state of women and the economy and the freedom?
Which country liberated them by sending it's young people to die so that Af was free? Was it China or USA?
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Feb 11, 2015 10:58am
why so negativity by Pakistani friends?
India is the largest donor Asian country to Afghanistan, Even Afghan parliament is built by India at a cost of 2.3 Billion $, There are 2 National Highways which are solely built by India & many other hospitals, not to mention India is helping Afghan Army as well, so China or Even Somalia, if any country would help to the people of Afghanistan we Indians are very Happy. Whole world should help Afghanistan.
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Feb 11, 2015 12:11pm
the people of Afghans always remember the Indians for their help in achieving good education, Road & rail Transport network, Hospital, govt building and even in army training to secure his land. This all done by INDIA by before the world (especially Pak, China) recognize the Afgans.
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Feb 12, 2015 08:12am
How come the Pakistan and the Afghanistan support China when China is cracking down on Muslims in Uigur province? Don't these two countries ever hold China accountable of what they do to the Uiguru Muslims?
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Feb 12, 2015 08:14pm
@Mercy Really? Have you spoken to regular afghans about Karzai? Go and ask them what they think of him. This was a man who was protected by NATO and didnt even trust his own army to protect his palace. That's telling enough. His brother was a war-lord drug dealer who would get killed because of his shady dealings. Karzai was also mentally unfit to be a leader.
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