Afghan President Hamid Karzai officially registered his candidacy Monday for the presidential election this August 20th, and in so doing, selected ex-militia chief Mohammad Fahim as one of his two running mates, the AP reports.
Fahim has served as defense minister and interim vice president in the past, but his inclusion on the ticket comes much to the chagrin of Western diplomats, due to his staunch support for private Afghan armies and militias, the Guardian reports. Moreover, Fahim is reportedly "disliked by many Afghans who are suspicious of the wealth he has acquired since 2001", according to the Guardian:
A western official said: "The question really is: if Karzai gets killed on August 21 [the day after the election date] who is the president? It's Marshal Fahim. If he is just put in the presidential palace and given a good car and nice life then fine. But if he gets involved in policy then it's goodbye to the future of Afghanistan."
The Fahim choice is in direct defiance to requests by United Nations Mission Chief Kai Eide, who in the days leading up to Karzai's pick has vigilantly pressed the Afghani incumbent to select someone less controversial, Reuters reports. From Reuters:
Eide was "saddened" and "disturbed" by Karzai's choice and believed the concern was widely shared by the international community of diplomats in Kabul, the source said.
"He's been one of the known warlords in this country and has a history of human rights violations that's serious," the source said.
So far, no notably viable competitors have registered to challenge Karzai in August, despite the loss in public approval the Afghan president has suffered in years past, due to the continued civilian casualties and government corruption that have plagued his administration, the AP reports. From AP:
One possible challenger, Nangarhar Gov. Gul Agha Sherzai, withdrew his name over the weekend following a four-hour meeting with Karzai. Another possible challenger, Dr. Abdullah, the country's former foreign minister, has said he will run but has not yet filed paperwork. Candidates for president have until Friday to register.