Afghanistan’s interim government is falling to pieces

For Americans who conquered Afghanistan and for Hamid Karzai’s interim government, it was easier to destroy the Taliban regime than to defeat barbarism. This is the way this country is organized – another war is coming, not peace.

Karzai’s government has ruled the country for only two months only, but it is being torn apart with internal contradictions. This is happening because of the different governmental groups formed on the basis of ethnic principles. This conflict between the various ethnic groups is a big obstacle for Afghanistan to put an end to war. The contradictions in the Kabul government may become the reason for an internal war in Afghanistan.

After Abdul Rahman, the Minister for Air Transport and Tourism, was killed in the Kabul airport, Karzai placed the responsibility for that on the members of his government. Karzai’s government has been split into two basic groups. The Roman group, in which Karzai is included, consists of the Pashtuns and the representatives of several ethnic minorities. Rahman belonged to one of them - the Tajik group. The military bloc – defense, security, home affairs and intelligence – is controlled by the Tajiks from Panjsher Valley. As Western diplomats in Kabul believe, the investigation of the assassination will be complicated because of the predominant position of the Panjsher group in Afghanistan's military structures. Two of the suspects in Rahman’s assassination are currently in Saudi Arabia, and the Afghans demand their delivery. Another suspect, the chief of the national security service, General Juraat, was dismissed from his position, but he still goes to work anyway.

Karzai’s confidants talk about a conspiracy prepared by the Panjsher group. This isn't good news for Karzai’s followers, who expect king Zahir Shah to arrive in their homeland next month. Those who adhere to the version of a conspiracy say that military intelligence chief General Abdul Jan Tawhidi and General Juraat were seen in the crowd of the pilgrims who assaulted Abdul Rahman’s plane, but they did not stop the mess.

The pilot said that they asked Rahman (who was going to fly to Delhi) to send in his resignation. The minister refused, so he was taken out of the plane on the runway and beaten to death.

After the preliminary probe, and after Karzai was reported about it, the representatives of the Roman group asked the Americans for help: “If you cannot control the situation, if you cannot help us in the investigation of this crime, we will have to leave Afghanistan, which is now in your own hands.” The Americans exerted pressure on Defense Minister General Fahim and other members of the Northern Alliance and required an investigation.

The members of the Roman group believe that the minister’s assassination in the airport was a political, premeditated action. Its goal was to weaken the royalists in the government.

Sergey Borisov PRAVDA.Ru

Translated by Dmitry Sudakov