Any attempt to creat a single, unified national government in Afghanistan is doomed to failure, no matter who is president. Afghanistan is not, and never will be a nation. It is a handful of city-states, in a sea of independent tribal warriors, whose only loyalty is to the tribe, and only ambition is to be great warriors. Any attampt to enforce a national government on them threatens everything they are, and gives them a chance to become great warriors. If a relatively modern country like Pakistan can’t control their tribal areas, only a moron could believe Karzai and his crew ever will.
I’m sure Karzai and his cronies undstand that and are content to rule in the cities, and take what they can, while they can. The only sane strategy is divide and conquer. Buy off those we can, kill those that help Al Qeada, and leave the rest alone.
I have always had trepidation about Unifying Afghanistan.
It is a collection of theifdoms.
Then when NATO took control I knew we really had trouble with ever gaining any ground.
Iraq was different, Mesopatamia has a long history of modern government.
We had that place pretty well sewn up other that Irans meddling.