Exclusive: Afghan Warlord Talks Resistance

Notorious Terrorist Tells CBS News About Evading Capture And What He Thinks Of George Bush

(CBS)  From remote mountains in northeastern Afghanistan, one of the country's most notorious terrorists has attacked U.S. troops and evaded capture for nearly seven years, CBS News chief foreign correspondent Lara Logan reports.

Afghan warlord Gulbeddin Hekmatyar spoke exclusively to CBS News about the state of the insurgency in Afghanistan, in this interview smuggled out of his secret hiding place.

"The resistance is spreading in all directions," he said through a translator. "It is becoming stronger and more powerful,"

Hekmatyar was once embraced by the United States as a freedom fighter - part of the mujahedeen resistance against the Russian occupation of the 1980's.

Now he's a U.S. enemy, accused of leading an insurgency that has killed American soldiers and destabilized Afghanistan.

Today, he lives on the run, hunted by the U.S. military.

"Although I am confined to one bunker and a village, which is under the threat of American war planes all the time, I sleep very peacefully at night, while George Bush cannot sleep in White House without the help of sleeping pills," he said through a translator.

Hekmatyar mocks President Bush as a war monger and blames him for Iran's meddling in Afghanistan. He says the Iranians are pouring money and weapons into the fight that's destroying his country.

"Iran trespassed into our territory [into Afghanistan] and established military posts in very sensitive areas on our side of the border," he said.

The failure to stop people like Hekmatyar is one of the reasons several thousand additional U.S. troops have been deployed to Afghanistan. But he claims American boots on the ground are only prolonging the resistance.

Hekmatyar offered an ominous warning for Afghan security forces: "Our fighting now is against those hired Afghan soldiers whom the Americans have placed in the frontline to fight us."

Nearly seven years after that fight began, one of America's top enemies in Afghanistan remains as determined as ever.

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EDITOR'S NOTE: The original Web description on this story mistakenly misrepresented how the exclusive interview with Afghan warlord Gulbeddin Hekmatyar was conducted. In fact, correspondent Lara Logan submitted written questions and Hekmatyar responded on videotape.

[dobbershome]

Sound we need to flatten out the area. Get my drift?

[dobbershome]

Sound''s like we need to flatten out the area. Get my drift?

[timdgrim]

He kind of looks like Ben Stein''s brother!

[questionnews]

He looks like Ben Stein with a beard.

[questionnews]

Wow look at the timing of two minds!

[edintex]

Just hang in there a little longer Hekmatyar. If the coward American liberal democrats get thier way, your man Hussain Obama will save you from the bad old American army next February.

[andrew_693]

sounds like the republican party freedom fighter is doing well. Reagan must be having a great time.

[feelfree4u]

Re: "From remote mountains in northeastern Afghanistan, one of the country''s most notorious terrorists has attacked U.S. troops and evaded capture for nearly seven years,"

Obviously, the people of Afghanistan have the right to defend themselves.

Ms. Logan has no standing to be calling anyone a "terrorist".

[tbweb]

Iran has denied any involvement in Afghanistan, now this Afghan warlord Gulbeddin Hekmatyar has just outright implicated Iran! No, the Bush administration don''t dislike you in return, to the Bush administration you look like Santa Claus! lol

[jerr11]

So what happened to the war on terror?

While Bush and Cheney were preoccupied with the oil in Iraq, they let these scumbags go!

What happened?

Why can''t the world''s most powerful country capture some gangster lord?

I know the answer to that one.

The neocons don''t want to capture him or his fellow ****** Bin Laden.

Because without them, there''re no more excuses for their endless "war on terror" otherwise known as Halliburton''s Business Plan!

[feelfree4u]

Re: "Now he''s a U.S. enemy, accused of leading an insurgency that has killed American soldiers and destabilized Afghanistan."

Now Ms. Logan is demonizing the people of Afghanistan for defending themselves, and blaming them for the catastrophe that we have delivered to them.

[feelfree4u]

Re: "Hekmatyar mocks President Bush as a war monger..."

Get in line.

There are so many reasons to mock George, it is difficult to choose.

[feelfreee4u]

Bush and Cheny are great leaders and have saved this country from over 200 attacks in 7 years. Amazing job they have done. I can''t believe all the traitors and spineless libs on CBS tonight.

[von_marko]

So..... another Terrorist that hates Bush and loves Obama. Why is this news??

[sgtrds-e4]

Who is monitoring this thread tonight? Karl Rove?

[feelfree4u]

The plan to attack and invade Afghanistan was in the works well ahead of the attacks of 9/11/01. In fact, the final invasion plan was on George''s desk, 2 days prior to these attacks.

Many of us will recall that the Taliban rulers in Afghanistan even offered to capture Osama bin Laden and turn him over for trial, if the Western leaders could provide evidence of his involvement in the 9/11/01 attacks.

The Bush regime did not provide this evidence, because they did not have any, and because they were already determined to wage a war of aggression against Afghanistan no matter what, and to install a compliant puppet (see- Hamid Karzai).

We have no legitimate business in Afghanistan, and we should apologize, withdraw, and figure out a way to begin reparations payments to the people of that country.

Our focus must be to bring Bush regime officials and accomplices before a war crimes tribunal.

[bgwinnett]

I wonder how all the Obama lovers feel when they read how all these 7th-century murderers like Obama as much as they do.

Posted by taylor2124 at 07:44 PM : Jun 16, 2008

Nothing more than a bit of reverse Psychology.

[von_marko]

Obama list of likely Presidential retreat:
1. Tehran
2. Damascus
3. Anywhere mommy takes him

[bozworth4]

Look at all the destruction and loss of live caused by our internal decay of public safety items. Flooding, hunger, inadequate health care, over complicated procedures to acquire basic needs during emergencies, bridges collapsing, levies breaching, dams breaking, unsafe schools and streets, the list goes on. Meanwhile, Iraq and Afghanistan continue to consume dollars that could be earmarked for security of these areas. Wake up, King George II has provided for his well being as well as his courts'' well being. All at the expense of the common serf or vassals well being(taxpayer) More than one form of terrorist. Who has won this military action?? Do you win a war and loose your freedom? I say yes. Do you feel safer today than a year ago? Watch the skie, bridges and CYA. Cause nobody has your back!!!!

[bgwinnett]

Who is monitoring this thread tonight? Karl Rove?

Posted by SgtRDS-E4 at 07:44 PM : Jun 16, 2008

Or a former editor of Pravda has just come out of retirement.

[sgtrds-e4]

Who is monitoring this thread tonight? Karl Rove?

[bozworth4]

Maybe they hired the bible beater ricky or mudrose to monitor the threads?

Posted by SgtRDS-E4

Well now you''ve done it! I can just feel the bible beaters warming up. Hang on and watch! Quotes will fly, tempers will flare, and most of all people will get lots of laughs.

[sgtrds-e4]

In my OPINIO)N Bush is a warmonger and is no better the Bin Laden!

That statement meets the rules of engagement here if you like it or not!

[dobbershome]

Well we know he was well trained.

[sgtrds-e4]

Bush is a terrible president!

That statement is within the CBS rules. Are you going to delete that too?

[feelfree4u]

I don''t believe that Osama, or any sophisticated foreign "TERRA" network (other than maybe the Pakistani ISI and the Israeli Mossad) had anything to do with the events of 9/11/01, so there is no valid justification for us being there, in my opinion.


We invaded Afghanistan to:

A. Further destabilize that country

B. Revive global opium production (which was negligible under Taliban rule)

C. Establish a military launch point for a campaign of aggression in the region (see Iraq)

D. Provide an overseas location to develop U.S. torture programs and secret prisons

E. Install a U.S. corporate-friendly puppet-ruler to plunder the resources of the region (see former Unocal executive and "Mayor of Kabul", Hamid Karzai)

F. Create a state of never-ending and unwinnable "war", for profit

Based on these criteria, much of the "Mission" has been "Accomplished".

Best of luck to the people of Afghanistan to unaccomplish it.

www.zeitgeistmovie.com

[sgtrds-e4]

George W. Bush and Richard Cheney used 9-11 and the war in Afghanistan as an excuse to invade their true target all along, Iraq. If they had done their job in Afghanistan instead of lying us into a war in Iraq, then we would have a relatively peaceful Afghanistan right now. Instead they lied us into a quagmire in Iraq. In my OPINION that makes them war criminals who are no better the the terrorists that we are supposed to be fighting!

[hermitdave]

WOW---could it be the Osama is dead and Bush needs a new guy to scare the sheep? He even looks a little like the many CIA Osamas.

[macusweil]

I blame Republican meddling..

Bin Laden, Saddam and now this guy were all once good buddies of Reagan & Rumsfeld.

Reagan sold the Iranians weapons and gave Saddam WMDs. Bush I had to start a war to scale Saddam back to size. Bush II started a 2nd war in Iraq that he could not win (mostly because of his limited mental abilities) and now we have a huge mess on our hands.

We really need to think carefully in this country before we elect another Republican and put them in charge of our national defense.

[downsteamjim]

To SgtRDS-E4: Keep up your support for the Taliban. If they get back in power, maybe they will give you a season ticket for shooting women in stadiums.

[downsteamjim]

This report is a classic example of why when a reporter is killed by Al Queda or the Taliban it should be listed as a ''friendly fire'' incident.

[sgtrds-e4]

To SgtRDS-E4: Keep up your support for the Taliban. If they get back in power, maybe they will give you a season ticket for shooting women in stadiums.

Posted by downsteamjim at 08:13 PM : Jun 16, 2008

Hey numbnuts, I supported the invasion of Afghanistan. What I didn''t support was the chimp Bush using it as a stepping stone to invading Iraq for profit!

[sgtrds-e4]

The invasion of Afghanistan was the right war in the right place at the right time, but the morons in the White House, Bush and Cheney, Used it as a stepping stone for the wrong war at the wrong time and in the wrong place in Iraq! Thanks for NOTHING Georgie, you moron!

[sgtrds-e4]

And DownStreamJim is appropriate... clearly the source of his drinking water.

Regards,

Posted by Nancy_Naive at 08:21 PM : Jun 16, 2008

LOL! Maybe it''s not the water that he''s drinking too much of.

[downsteamjim]

To macusweil: Study a little history and find out who was in power when the Bathist party took power or who was in power when Saddam took control of Iraq. Also who was in power when Iraq switched from pro U.S. to anti U.S. I will give you one hint. They were all Democrats.

[jerr11]

I suggest we send the world''s greatest terrorist fighter George W Bush and his equally intrepid partner ******** Cheney to Afghanistan and hunt down this ****** and bring him to Gitmo!!

Now that''ll be a legacy worth fighting for!!

Right Alabama Bush?

Deferment Cheney?

LOL

[downsteamjim]

To Nancy Naive: Thanks for telling us the one thing you are an expert on. The making of $hit sandwiches. Bon Apetite.

[sgtrds-e4]

Also who was in power when Iraq switched from pro U.S. to anti U.S. I will give you one hint. They were all Democrats.

Posted by downsteamjim at 08:23 PM : Jun 16, 2008

Ahem, dummy, when Saddam switched from pro-US to anti-US was when he invaded Kuwait. And who was president then? Gosh! It''s first Bushy the Senior! And who was president when the US and Britain gave him the chemicals to make his poisonous gas with? Why that would be Ronnie Raygun!

[jerr11]

Hey, there''s no Afghan warlord Gulbeddin Hekmatyar!

It''s Ben Stein under that fake Afghan garb!!

BOO!

LOL

[Syndicate]

Iraq went pro US to Anti US under Reagan and Bush. So your premise is incorrect.

[taotxzen]

Afganistan? I thought all the ''ter-ist'' were in Iraq and Iran???

[joecoolswat]

macusweil....wasn''t it interesting that we found absolutely no American weapons in Iraq in the 1st and 2nd Gulf war, and all of the weapons systems, tanks etc, were of Soviet origin?

[downsteamjim]

To SgtRDSe4: You should read history and not make it up as you go along. I''ll help you just this once. The Ba-ath Party took over during the Johnson Administration. Saddam took power during the Carter Administration. There was some support for Saddam as a counter to Jimuh Carter''s Iranian mullahs. You may even remeber the embassy hostage crisis under Jimuh.

[sgtrds-e4]

There was some support for Saddam as a counter to Jimuh Carter''''s Iranian mullahs. You may even remeber the embassy hostage crisis under Jimuh.

Posted by downsteamjim at 08:34 PM : Jun 16, 2008

"Some support"! ROTFLMFAO!!!! Reagan was in BED with Saddam and Saddam did not turn anti-American until Bush the senior! Rumsfeld took CIA spy satellite photo''s with him to give to Saddam and Reagan authorized the sale of poison gas ingredients! The very SAME gas Saddam used on the Kurds. LOLOLOLOL! Read a history book dummy!

[sgtrds-e4]

There was some support for Saddam as a counter to Jimuh Carter''''''''s Iranian mullahs. You may even remeber the embassy hostage crisis under Jimuh.

Posted by downsteamjim at 08:34 PM : Jun 16, 2008

Oh and speaking of "Jimmy''s" Iranian Mullahs, Ronnie Raygun sold them WEAPONS!

[vnveteran72]

In Reagan''s Day, Battling the Russian Invaders:

Afghan warlord Gulbeddin Hekmatyar: "Freedom Fighter" and America''s Pal....

In Shrub''s Day, Battling American Invaders:

Afghan warlord Gulbeddin Hekmatyar: Filthy Terrorist Scumbag.....

Gotta Love that Insane Repuke Foreign Policy.....

[dobbershome]

Maybe this report is intended to be used as anti-iranian propanda?

[sgtrds-e4]

Time to go walk the dogs before they take a Bush on the rugs.........back later..........you lucky lucky people........

;-)

[feelfree4u]

Re: "Too bad Lara didn''t bother to mention this bit of (relevant) news."

Re: "Perhaps she did speak to him after all - in captivity."

Posted by CBS_Oliver

Nice one, "CBS_Oliver".

I did notice the all-black background, which is often a trait of an al-CIA''duh production.

[Latrocinor]

Ahem, dummy, when Saddam switched from pro-US to anti-US was when he invaded Kuwait.

Posted by SgtRDS-E4
.. .. ..
Saddam was pro-US when he invaded Kuwait and was surprised when we told him it was not ok.

You should read history and not make it up as you go along. I helped you again, as usual.

There is absolutely no evidence you were in the military or ever where in Vietnam.