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Karzai Rules Out Afghan Power Share Before Afghan Election Runoff

First Posted: 03/18/10 06:12 AM ET Updated: 05/25/11 03:25 PM ET

Afghanistan Election

Washington Post:

President Hamid Karzai's team shifted aggressively into campaign mode Saturday and ruled out any possibility of a power-sharing deal with challenger Abdullah Abdullah ahead of a runoff election in two weeks.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

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President Hamid Karzai's team shifted aggressively into campaign mode Saturday and ruled out any possibility of a power-sharing deal with challenger Abdullah Abdullah ahead of a runoff election in two...
President Hamid Karzai's team shifted aggressively into campaign mode Saturday and ruled out any possibility of a power-sharing deal with challenger Abdullah Abdullah ahead of a runoff election in two...
Filed by T.J. Ortenzi  | 
 
 
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06:03 AM on 10/26/2009
Why don't we turn off the Taliban's cell phones capability. They are all on phones when you see them on the news.
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Lee Andrew
173rd ARMY RECON (DAV)
07:44 PM on 10/25/2009
Hamid his honor the mayor of Kabul is bad news everyone knows it. He is Bush lite.
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OneTop
Uh, is that a beer hall?
03:00 AM on 10/25/2009
I don't see how Karzai cannot win ?

He is a Pashtun which is the majority of the population, the same group that the Taliban emanate from. In the past he has made deals with the Northern Alliance (Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazaras etc.) and made their warlords the most important/powerful people in the government. Effectively, Karzai as the President appeared as the leader, however, he has just been a powerless figurehead ... an agent of the occupying forces.

Abdullah is a Tajik and part of the northern alliance (historical enemy of the Taliban) No chance that having this guy as number 1 will end in anything other than total chaos.
04:09 AM on 10/25/2009
It's the deals with the Northern Alliance that cause geopolitical concerns for Pakistan and generate support for the Taliban.

The ideal leader of Afghanistan would be a Pashtun (as you note) but would take steps to convince Pakistan that Afghanistan would not become a sphere of influence for India or Iran, and would take steps to convince Afghans that they would have semi-autonomous local governments.
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Balzac
01:50 AM on 10/25/2009
Karzai is either bluffing or he thinks Americans will approve of propping him up indefinitely. Where does his power come from if not from the USA? He is in a position to demand things, he is a very expensive dependent.

If Afghanistan is going to be a pretend democracy propped up by foreign military intervention, maybe we can choose a more agreeable warlord to represent the occupation forces to the militants.
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TXfemmom
Grandma with eye on the future
12:56 AM on 10/25/2009
Karzai doesn't want to share, fine. I'll spring for some fruit puch for his going away party.