Afghanistan: no authorities

The participants of the demonstration in Afghan capital Kabul demanded dismissing pro-American Head of the transitional government Hamid Karsai.
About 100 people participated in the demonstration organized by Afghani Front for Justice and Democracy, by having this demonstration they probably intended to show that the country is moving along the democratic path.

However, the “guarantor of Afghani democracy” Karsai is rapidly losing his legitimacy. According to the demonstration participants, Karsai’s term in office expires in June. Meanwhile, Parliamentary and Presidential elections in Afghanistan are scheduled for September. Although, they may be postponed for  later date.
 
Saied Eshak Gailani, the Presidential candidate from National Unity Movement, said in May that after June Karsai’s administration would not be legitimate any more.

Karsai is not very concerned about the perspective to find himself in political vacuum, and one can understand why. Despite constructing democratic institutions in Afghanistan, Americans are the real rules of the country which “defeated” Taliban. To gain Washington’s support on the eve of elections, Karsai went to Washington,. He told the US congressmen that the Afghan people were the first to undergo the attack of international terrorists before 9/11, although Afghanis are onе of the most devout Moslems.

”These atrocities lasted for several years, and the world was indifferent”, reminded Karsai to the Congressmen. However, US politicians are well-aware that Afghanistan would have stayed on its own much longer if al-Qaida would not have attacked the USA. However, Americans entered Afghanistan not for the sake of saving the local people from terrorists, but because of Americans’ own geopolitical interests.

Currently supporting Karsai who called the relationship between the USA and his country “partnership”, is in Americans’ best interests. Karsai maintains the illusion of the order in Afghanistan, and this allows Americans to concentrate on the Iraqi problem.

Karsai insisted on increasing US companies investing in Afghanistan. However, he is more concerned about the US military support of the new regime in Afghanistan. Hamid Karsai hopes that NATO troops will be deployed in the country. NATO named Afghanistan one of its priorities, while the USA is not increasing its military presence outside Kabul and province Kunduz. Karzai understands that the USA is preoccupied with Iraq, and for this reason invites NATO troops in Afghanistan. “We hope NATO will enter Afghanistan before the elections in September”, said Karzai.

In turn, he promised Americans not to have any deals with Afghani military leaders as this is a painful issue to the USA. Meanwhile, he named the military commanders “respectful leaders of the Afghani resistance to the Soviet invasion”.

Karsai has taken active part in the negotiations with the military commanders who have their own “private” armies – this is the way how democracy is constructed in Afghanistan. Karsai wanted to gain the Afghani commanders’ support before the elections and negotiated with them. The US administration did not like that some members of the “defeated” Taliban regime were among these commanders. There are rumors that some of them can end up in the Afghani government formed after the September elections.

Probably, Karsai will succeed in obtaining US agreement for this decision and many others. He feels confident among the Western politicians. It is harder for him to deal with his compatriots, Afghani leaders, but this has been a tradition in Afghanistan.

Sergey Borisov