Hamid Karzai on Terrorism as a Political Mutation

The terrorism we are fighting is an existential force, not a conceptual challenge. It has nothing to do with religion, nor with any idea of a greater cause. It is political and sponsored in essence. The unbridled extremism we see in our region does not emanate from a legitimate ideology, nor does it represent a societal reaction to the so-called clash of civilizations. The terrorism we are fighting is a political mutant, a Frankenstein, created through the folly of short-sighted policy for the reckless pursuit of misperceived interests. It is a venomous snake that some among us tried to nurture and befriend at the expense of others, which I hope we realize now it was a mistake.