Video: Afghan President Karzai at Brookings Institution (5 May)

In advance of his meetings today with US officials and President Obama, Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai spoke at the prominent US think tank The Brookings Institution for almost an hour, citing recent achievements and looking at where the country will advance "as we go into the next elections and the next five or ten or fifteen years".

Nothing stunning in the talk, but a confident and lucid Karzai emphasised Afghan advances in social services and political development. Doing so, he set up a powerful counter-narrative to the charges that he and his advisors are corrupt and ineffective leaders.

This is an extract from Karzai on "the higher moral platform" in the approach in and to Afghanistan. The full video is on the C-Span website.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBi8J4wKatw[/youtube]

Video: Raw Footage of US Soldiers "Hunting People for Jesus" in Afghanistan

Related Post: US Military “Hunt People for Jesus” in Afghanistan

The extended, unedited footage released today by Al Jazeera and documentary maker Brian Hughes after the Pentagon disputed their original report of US soldiers in Afghanistan advocating evangelism and conversion of Afghans:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbJ63Y4R0dA[/youtube]

The statement from Brian Hughes:

On Sunday, May 3, the Al Jazeera English network and I made an agreement to produce a broadcast segment from a rough cut of my documentary film. This opportunity came after a May 2009 Harper’s magazine cover story called “Jesus Killed Mohammed.” While he researched and prepared that article, I allowed the author Jeff Sharlet to view the work-in-progress documentary. Sharlet’s article brought the film to Al Jazeera English’s attention.

My documentary, titled The Word and the Warriors, is inspired by a personal experience I had while serving as a combat flight crew member during the first Gulf War. During a very difficult and emotional time at war, an Army chaplain provided me comfort and counsel. I will never forget the important advice or the man who - without questioning my own faith - helped me at a time of need.

For two-and-a-half years, I have been researching and producing this film. I have traveled the world, interviewing both military servicemembers and civilians about the important role of these religious leaders/military officers.

During April/May 2008, I went to Afghanistan. With the assistance and full cooperation of the U.S. Army, I was allowed to film at Bagram Air Field. During that time, I was always wearing press credentials, and I was always accompanied by a media liaison while filming. The media liaison staff knew everything I filmed and - as I was told by them - they filed reports every evening about what I had filmed. It was my primary media liaison, an Army NCO, who - on my first day - invited me to meet LTC Gary Hensley. Hensley, the ranking chaplain in Afghanistan talked to me off camera expressing a concern he had about allowing me to film his chaplains. At the conclusion of the discussion, he agreed that I would be allowed to embed with his chaplains and invited me to film several hours of religious services.

Those hours at the Enduring Faith Chapel included his own sermon at a service called Chapel Next. With the exception of a few minutes I could not film because I was reloading my camera or moving to position for another shot, I videotaped Hensley’s entire sermon.

Any contention by the military that his words are purposefully taken out of context to alter the tone or meaning of his sermon is absolutely false.

In recent press statements, the military also contends that - in the footage depicting the Afghan-language (Dari and Pashto) bibles - a cut was made before “it would have shown that the chaplain instructed that the Bibles not be distributed.” This is a false statement. The chaplain - as seen in the footage before the cut - instructs the group to be careful and reiterates the definition of General Order #1. After this cut he begins to organize the group for the evening’s bible study lessons.

Finally, and in my opinion most important, is the fact that EVERY FRAME of the rough cut from Bagram was provided to the U.S. Army Public Affairs Office in advance of this release. On Thursday, April 30 at approximately 1 pm EST, the Army took possession of a DVD with this footage by accepting a FedEx from me. Since Al Jazeera English first aired the piece Sunday, May 3 at 10pm EST, the Army had every frame of this rough cut for more than 80 hours.

UPDATED A Very Religious War: US Military "Hunt People for Jesus" in Afghanistan

UPDATE: Responding to Pentagon claims that it had "grossly misrepresent[ed] the truth", Al Jazeera has released extended, unedited footage from Brian Hughes recording the statements of US military in "Bible Study". The footage supports the original claim that US soldiers were advocating evangelism in Afghanistan. We've posted the video and Hughes' further comments in a separate blog.

This is the video report from Al Jazeera, compiled from footage taken by documentary maker Brian Hughes last year, that has sparked controversy over the last 48 hours:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVGmbzDLq5c[/youtube]

The most sensational call to arms comes from Lieutenant-Colonel Gary Hensley, the chief of the US military chaplains in Afghanistan, who tells soldiers that they have a responsibility "to be witnesses for" Jesus Christ:

The special forces guys - they hunt men basically. We do the same things as Christians, we hunt people for Jesus. We do, we hunt them down. Get the hound of heaven after them, so we get them into the kingdom. That's what we do, that's our business.

US commanders moved quickly to discredit the report and to limit any damage. Colonel Greg Julian claimed, "This is irresponsible and inappropriate journalism....The Bibles were taken into custody and not distributed. There is no effort to go out and proselytise to Afghans." Asked in his Monday press briefing about the incident, Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, denied any knowledge and added, "From the United States' military's perspective, it is not our position to push any specific kind of religion."

The US military is no stranger to controversy over evangelism in its wars. Lieutenant General William Boykin provoked controversy in 2003 when he bragged about hunting down an insurgent in Somalia:

He went on CNN and he laughed at us, and he said, "They'll never get me because Allah will protect me. Allah will protect me." Well, you know what? I knew that my God was bigger than his. I knew that my God was a real God and his was an idol.

Afghanistan: Karzai Out-manoeuvres the United States

Somewhere there are cats marvelling at the lives of Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai.

At the start of this year, Obama Administration were considering how to oust Karzai from office. Supporting local authorities, the US blocked the President's attempt to hold elections in April and, through American media, they put forth political alternatives. Only last week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a public warning to Karzai, “We have made it very clear that we expect changes. We expect accountability, and we’re going to demand it.”

In the last 72 hours, however, Karzai has shown the political skills and tenacity that prompted the US to support him as the first post-Taliban leader in 2001. He has met Washington's challenge by ensuring --- barring a political catastrophe, coup, or assassination --- that he will be returned as Afghanistan's President in August elections.

The first sign of Karzai's victory came Saturday when the Governor of Nangarhar Province, Gul Agha Shirzai, announced that he was withdrawing his Presidential bid. Shirzai was being played up as a strong contender, and only last Friday, Vice President Ahmed Zia Masood --- who had already said he would not run with Karzai --- would be Mr. Shirzai’s running mate. However, after a four-hour meeting with Karzai on Friday night, Shirzai said he was withdrawing. The U-turn took his campaign staff by surprise; his spokesman said, “Shirzai did not consult with his friends in this decision."

Shirzai was seen by some Washington officials as a preferable alternative to Karzai. Six weeks ago, The Wall Street Journal had a fawning profile of the Governor. Although he was "a semiliterate former warlord" with "an autocratic style, a reputation for doling out government contracts to family and friends, and a personal fortune allegedly amassed via corruption and the opium trade"....

....Many in Afghanistan think he might also be the country's best hope for stability. As the head of one of the country's most peaceful provinces, Mr. Shirzai has ensured that roads get built, opium poppies are plowed under, and the Taliban are held at bay.

With Shirzai removed as a contender, Karzai could then make his next move. As he registered as a candidate on Monday, he announced that former Defence Minister Mohammad Fahim as one of his two Vice-Presidential candidates.

Fahim, Karzai's Vice-President from 2001 to 2004, has been criticised as a "warlord" responsible for the killing of thousands in Afghanistan's civil war of the 1990 and for involvment in crime and drug trafficking. However, he brings Karzai support from former mujihadeen. Karzai's second Vice-Presidential candidate, Muhammad Karim Khalili, is a former mujihadeen commander and a leader of Afghanistan's Shi'a.

How secure is Karzai, despite the continued American pressure? An article in The Washington Post on Sunday offered the answer: "Karzai's Would-Be Competition in Disarray". Former interior minister Ali Jalali waved the white flag:

We tried to put together a team with a national agenda, but so far we have failed. As a result, Karzai is growing stronger by the hour. The problem is ego. Everyone thinks he has the best chance of winning, so no one is willing to compromise.

The newspaper identified three failed or failing alternatives: Shirzai, former finance minister Ashraf Ghani, who was being pushed by Washington but made the mistake of spending too much time in the US, and --- almost bizarrely --- long-time US Government official Zalmay Khalilzad, who, despite teasing signals, is unlikely to give up American citizenship and return to Afghanistan.

Another Afghan analyst, Haroun Mir, has given up on prospects of an immediate change to look at future battles:

Karzai is in a very strong position now, but even if he is reelected, Afghanistan will badly need better governance and better leadership. We need to look beyond who wins the elections. I am much more worried about the future of Afghan institutions and democracy.

Fair enough. But when Karzai visits Washington, his smile will be genuine. The Obama Administration officials with whom he will be chatting tried to pull the strings in Kabul, and they snapped. The "puppet" has escaped his masters.

Video: Admiral Mullen Briefing on Pakistan-Afghanistan (4 May)

Monday's showpiece in the ongoing drama of US policy towards Pakistan and Afghanistan was a 20-minute press briefing by Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

VIDEO (PART 1 OF 2)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8apwmV_03I[/youtube]

Mullen's immediate purpose was to push both countries as the priority for American foreign and military policy: while the US "remain committed to the mission we've been given in Iraq", it had now been overtaken by crises which left him "gravely concerned": "This isn't about can-do anymore, this is about must-do."

While the admiral referred to both countries in his opening statements, almost all the discussion with the press was about Pakistan (a fact missed by some lazy journalism at both CNN and The Washington Post). Mullen restated the recent Washington line that it was "encouraged" by the Pakistani military operation against insurgents although there is "more that must be done", and stayed out of any manoeuvres over Pakistan's political leadership.

Meanwhile, State Department spokesman Robert Wood restated Hillary Clinton's warning of the "existential threat" posed by extremists in Pakistan. Attention today moves to Capitol Hill, where US envoy Richard Holbrooke is speaking in a Congressional hearing on the US-Pakistan relationship. And there's the small matter of the arrival of Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari and Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Washington for talks.

VIDEO (PART 2 OF 2)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOkYtt70NEA[/youtube]