Plan to install Zahir Shah in Afghanistan (?)

The News (Pakistan) ^ | Sunday September 16, 2001 | Nusrat Javeed

[Cicero]

Good. I don't know what kind of man he is, but they need someone who can stabilize the country and whom the people will live with. I had read Claire Sterling on Massoud, so I knew he would have been a good man. Does anyone have a take on Zahir?

[ambrose]

I'd rather see Afghanistan turned into a parking lot.

[HAL9000]

Free Republic post - April 30, 2001 - U.S plans to impose Zahir Shah on Afghans: Hekmatyar

[JeepInMazar]

He is the former King of Afghanistan. His rule over Afgahnistan ended after 200 years of monarchy and now over 20 years of destruction. The destruction of Afghanistan began the day after the Christian church in Kabul was destroyed.

[Naspino]

I'd rather see Afghan become a US state -- we could send all of our pacifist -- nazi, communist, terrorist sympathizers their. I'm sure they would fair REAL well against their neighbors there.

[Illbay]

Personally, I might support the re-enthronement of this guy, but ONLY in a constitutional monarchy. I believe we now have a mission, to "democratize" this area of the world. The forms of government they have now, monarchies and sheikhdoms and even medieval feudalism, if the truth were known, do not work. They are too easily perverted to the ends of thugs and extremists.

Pakistan is an example, though, of how even this could fail. When democracy went "too far" (especially under Benazir Bhutto), the military took over and the country has been ruled by junta ever since.

So there are no guarantees. But at least with democratic insitutions in place the hatred and despite of their own ruling government (which is what the Sauds have to deal with every day, for example) won't be as easily established.

[Int]

Admittedly, I posted a similar article in 2000 that turned out not to be true. But what was tinfoil stuff then may no longer be under the current circumstances. Who knows...

12/17/2000 posting: US to strike Afghanistan after Ramadan, install ex-King??

[Illbay]

You're a fool.

What has Afghanistan done to you? To the U.S.?

Do you understand that the average Afghan has NO part in the role his nation has played in these events? That it has become merely a safe-haven for terrorist thugs? That those terrorists are not Afghan but Arab, in nearly every case?

Try to understand what is happening. Conservatives are supposed to be characterized by THINKING instead of merely FEELING.

Give it a try. Tell me how it works.

[madison46]

Taliban and bin Laden are the enemy. But lets be careful installing any Shah lest it end up like Iran. If we install him, then afterwards, lets wash our hands of it. No need to stay and 'help' with his security forces.

[ambrose]

Enough bleeding heart liberal nonsense. Launch the 100 megaton missles, flatten these ragheads, and we can all cheer.

[Lessismore]

Why are we worried about keeping Afghanistan intact. Wouldn't it be just as well if the Persian west joined Iran, the Uzbekis and Tajiks in the north joined their countrymen on the other side of the Darya, and the Pushtuns join their countrymen in Pakistan?

[Illbay]

Fortunately nothing like what you suggest is going to happen.

Instead, we're going to have a complete victory, and an opportunity for the oppressed people of those nations to throw off the shackles put on them by Islamic extremism.

[ikanakattara]

Why not Afghanistan as a constitutional monarchy *firmly* under US control? We can write their constitution for them. Worked for Japan...

[CROSSHIGHWAYMAN]

Save a cave for Barbra and the Baldwins.

[AdvisorB]

That's along the lines I've been thinking. Look, the Pashtuns hate the Tadjiks, the Uzbeks hate the Pashtuns, and those living in Herat hate everybody. Why not carve it up?

[Illbay]

As long as it is a CONSTITUTIONAL monarchy. There have to be some Afghan versions of James Madison over there. We can help, just as we did in Japan.