Afghans Exasperated by Five More Years of Karzai

Source: Reuters

KABUL, Nov 3 (Reuters) - War-weary Afghans, who have endured years of violence and daily hardships imposed by corrupt government officials, expressed little hope that President Hamid Karzai's next five-year term will turn their lives around.

Karzai, in power since the Taliban were toppled in 2001, has vowed to tackle corruption and form an inclusive government that would represent Afghanistan's broad political spectrum.

But many Afghans were sceptical that he would deliver.

"Karzai won the first round through cheating, that's a victory for those who supported him, not all the people of Afghanistan," teacher Fatima Noori said on Tuesday.

"We have so many other problems in daily life and the election is not our priority because we don't see any advantages," she said.

Election officials cancelled a presidential run-off after the withdrawal of Karzai's opponent, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, who said the run-off was likely to be just as flawed as the fraud-marred first round in August.

Besides living in one of the poorest countries in the world and enduring repeated food shortages, Afghans have also had to deal with a rising Taliban insurgency.

While the United States contemplates sending extra troops to fight the Taliban, Karzai has come under intense pressure to revamp his next cabinet, remove cronies and distance himself from warlords -- demands many Afghans feel will not bear fruit.

"Karzai had to ask for support from warlords and druglords in exchange for future government posts, otherwise he would have lost," shopkeeper Rahim Agha said.

"There is little hope to believe that Karzai will do something different to benefit the lives of ordinary Afghans."

Corruption is endemic in Afghanistan, which ranked 176th out of 180 countries in Transparency International's corruption perceptions index in March.


more: http://www.reuters.com/article/asiaCrisis/idUSSP136121

______________________________________________________________________________________________
Wow. The 4th most corrupt government in the world, and our troops are dying to prop it up.

Get out now, Mr. President.

hand the concern over to the UN. Start bringing the troops home.

But, he won't.

we promise to allow the election of a feel-good figurehead.

After all, what's good for the goose...