CANBERRA -- Whatever Washington's expectations, Afghan President Hamed Karzai is certainly instituting what he has called "Afghan-style democracy." His inclusion in the government of some individuals who in the past had been highly criticized as "warlords" might be prudent under present circumstances, but is double-edged. Will it pay off?
Karzai, chosen in Afghanistan's landmark presidential election of last October, is indeed engaged in a very difficult and complex task of national reconstruction.
Afghanistan has historically been a socially and politically divided polity, which partly contributed to the conflict and bloodshed that engulfed the country for 23 years prior to the U.S.-led military campaign that started following the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001. The American intervention proved instrumental in dispersing the al-Qaeda network, toppling the theocratic regime of the Taliban and opening the way for the Karzai administration to take over.