What do Pres. Karzai of Afghanistan and the current crop of Republicans have in common? George W. Bush was their patron, but isn’t anymore, so they’re finding themselves in dire straights in Obama’s time.
There’s a lengthy article in the Washington Post that lays it all out, but this gives you a window: Skepticism of Afghan Leader Shapes Policy.
For Karzai, an elegant and engaging politician renowned for his ability to forge compromises between warring factions, the new American coolness is unlikely to be a surprise. Ten days before Obama’s inauguration, Karzai told Vice President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. during a private meeting in Kabul that he looked forward to building with Obama the same sort of chummy relationship he had with Bush, which included frequent videoconferences and personal visits.
“Well, it’s going to be different,” Biden replied, according to a person with direct knowledge of the conversation. “You’ll probably talk to him or see him a couple of times a year. You’re not going to be talking to him every week.”
Pictures say a thousand words. Bush always cozying up to Karzai, while Obama walks separately, no back slapping there.
The WSJ weighs in with this headline: Washington Asserts Loyalty to Zardari.
Considering all the U.S. assets in Afghanistan, as well as Karzai’s general unpopularity because of a myriad of issues, not the least of which is that we’re at the tipping point there and it’s time for the Afghans to assume full responsibility, because as Gates said, they’re not likely to get anymore military from us. If there is any sided loyalty towards Zardari it’s out of pragmatic realism, because Pakistan simply cannot falter any further for obvious reasons. Though via Richard Engel, there is some good news: The Pakistani Taliban may have “overplayed their hand,” as he judged it today, by their rampage in Swat. Coupled with the Pakistani army turning their attention from India to the enemy within, we just might have pulled back from the brink, which Petraeus was warning was right now. Time will tell.
Whether Obama is distancing himself from Karzai, while bolstering the country and the Afghans, and focusing more on Pakistan’s Zardari, is one possible American analysis. But because of Bush Afghanistan has suffered after he basically bombed the country then left before the job was done to invade Iraq where we had no business going. Obama’s cleaning up that mess, but there’s no evidence that he’s going to do any more than offer the basics, then leave it to the Afghans in the end, earlier rather than later.
Providing Obama has turned towards Pakistan, while bolstering the Afghans after Bush’s neglect, the strategy seems to match the need and the moment. Gates saying no more troops for Afghanistan other than the current bolstering being done, while looking towards more advisers to Pakistan, which deserves a very watchful eye.
In survivor, the Bush legacy edition, no one has survived.
Rajiv Chandrasekaran (Update: more here):
Obama advisers believe the relationship that Bush developed with Karzai masked the Afghan leader’s flaws and made it difficult to demand accountability. Obama has not held a videoconference with Karzai, and the two have spoken by phone just twice. The administration rebuffed Karzai’s request for a bilateral visit to Washington this spring, telling him he could come only as part of this week’s tripartite summit with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, according to U.S. government officials. Karzai’s meeting with Obama today is scheduled for 20 minutes, as is Zardari’s.
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