Embattled Karzai beams after Bucharest
By: Haroun Mir
April 8, 2008
KABUL - Afghan President Hamid Karzai emanated self-confidence during his
press conference in Kabul following his participation in the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization's (NATO) April 3 meeting in Bucharest, where he had the
opportunity to meet with key NATO heads of state.
He is in dire need to improve his national standing in the country and image
abroad because he has clearly signaled his intention to run in the presidential
election in 2009; he will want to end his first term smoothly as the first
elected president of Afghanistan.
Karzai has been under tremendous pressure from major NATO countries. The
accumulation of setbacks in NATO's counter-insurgency and narcotics policies in
Afghanistan as well as in development projects have transformed into political
upset in the form of severe criticism of the president, particularly by the
British media, tarnishing his domestic and international position.
A series of events, such as the public expulsion from Afghanistan last
December of British and Irish diplomats accused of secret negotiations with the
Taliban, followed by Karzai's rejection of Paddy Ashdown's appointment as the
United Nations' special representative to Afghanistan, has caused growing
irritation between Kabul and some Western capitals.
Karzai has also become frustrated by not being able to pacify and gain the
leadership of influential Pashtun tribes in the greater Kandahar region. One
reason he has become critical of the British role in Afghanistan is that British
forces have alienated some of his closest friends in Helmand province.
Thus, his rejection of Ashdown was the consequence of his anger against
British secret dealings in the province. In addition, he was afraid Ashdown
would interfere in his decisions at a time when he is focused on re-election.
On the other hand, the lack of progress in Afghanistan as a result of a
dysfunctional government has infuriated the NATO members fighting in the country
As a result, they have been revising their military mission in Afghanistan.
Eliminating al-Qaeda and getting rid of the Taliban have become more challenging
compared with immediately after the September 11, 2001, attacks on the US and
the invasion of Afghanistan that year. In addition, the policy to eradicate
poppy fields in insurgency-infested territory, which served as a political
justification for Britain to send more troops to Afghanistan, is another big
disappointment - 2007 saw a record harvest of 8,200 tons of opium.
Simply put, the overall NATO mission has been reduced to preventing
Afghanistan from becoming a narco state and sliding into total chaos.
Tensions between Karzai and his political rivals are growing fast in view of
the presidential elections, and his enemies in Afghanistan are exploiting the
end of his honeymoon with his Western allies. The foes are doing their best to
undermine his leadership and further destabilize the government.
For instance, in February, General Abdul Rashid Dostum, a notorious warlord,
undermined the rule of law in Kabul by beating up and humiliating one of his
rivals who tried to defy Dostum's leadership in the north. The reaction of the
government in Kabul was timid and hesitant, which sent the wrong signal to other
recalcitrant and unruly warlords just waiting to reclaim their lost influence.
NATO countries recognize they have a very tough year in front of them before
Karzai's fate is decided. They need to maintain cohesion in the face of
determined Taliban and al-Qaeda fighters this spring and beyond. At the same
time they have to prevent political chaos before the presidential election,
which has become the only viable benchmark for NATO's mission in the country.
A public show of support for the Afghan president from key NATO members,
especially the US and Britain, is thus crucial for the stability of Afghanistan.
Indeed, Karzai's legitimacy depends less on the fact that he is an elected
president than on the unconditional support he has received from the
international community. Without this support, many of his enemies will
undermine his authority.
This support, signs of which emerged at the NATO summit, will also prove
wrong opportunist politicians in Afghanistan who prematurely believe the Western
allies have already abandoned Karzai.
Haroun Mir served as an aide to late Ahmad Shah Massoud, Afghanistan's
former defense minister. He is the co-founder and deputy director of
Afghanistan's Center for Research and Policy Studies (ACRPS).
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