Karzai’s Crucible
The last few days have been tough for Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The Washington Post splashed a story Monday suggesting that US and European officials doubt Karzai has the moxie to stabilize the country. The article spurred Condoleezza Rice into a public affirmation of support and an aggressive denunciation of the anonymous officials casting stones. Who are ...
The last few days have been tough for Afghan President Hamid Karzai. The Washington Post splashed a story Monday suggesting that US and European officials doubt Karzai has the moxie to stabilize the country. The article spurred Condoleezza Rice into a public affirmation of support and an aggressive denunciation of the anonymous officials casting stones.
Who are they? For whom do they speak? And what level do they speak?" Rice asked. "I have not heard this from my counterparts. Steve Hadley doesn't hear this from his counterparts. The president doesn't hear this from his counterparts."
The recent reporting about Karzai's shortcomings has suggested that his failures to combat drugs and warlords, on the one hand, and his government's fight against Taliban insurgents, on the other, are of a piece. But several informed observers have told me that, in some areas of the country at least, the struggles pull in opposite directions. So, a corrupt local governor with a hand in the opium jar may be quite effective at mobilizing local militias to combat the Taliban. Fire the governor for his sins and security quickly deteriorates. Afghanistan is still very much a pick-your-poison world. Unfortunately, outsiders impatient for results have little time for that game.
Who are they? For whom do they speak? And what level do they speak?” Rice asked. “I have not heard this from my counterparts. Steve Hadley doesn’t hear this from his counterparts. The president doesn’t hear this from his counterparts.”
The recent reporting about Karzai’s shortcomings has suggested that his failures to combat drugs and warlords, on the one hand, and his government’s fight against Taliban insurgents, on the other, are of a piece. But several informed observers have told me that, in some areas of the country at least, the struggles pull in opposite directions. So, a corrupt local governor with a hand in the opium jar may be quite effective at mobilizing local militias to combat the Taliban. Fire the governor for his sins and security quickly deteriorates. Afghanistan is still very much a pick-your-poison world. Unfortunately, outsiders impatient for results have little time for that game.
David Bosco is a professor at Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies. He is the author of The Poseidon Project: The Struggle to Govern the World’s Oceans. Twitter: @multilateralist
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