ISLAMABAD -- A spate of attacks by Taliban forces on U.S. troops and Afghan government soldiers has intensified worries over the country's first presidential elections, which are scheduled to take place next month.
The elections present a vital opportunity for Hamid Karzai, the U.S.-backed Afghan president, to squarely face his opponents and make a comeback driven by a popular mandate. It is perhaps the only opportunity Karzai will have to demonstrate that his credentials have far more to offer than merely Washington's support.
But his government's ability to mount a credible response to the Taliban attacks remains hampered by more than military weakness. Karzai's image as a proxy of a foreign power also undermines him politically.