The US peace initiative in Afghanistan appears to have had no results so far. There was an attack on the International Hotel in Kabul about a fortnight ago. Then came the assassination of Ahmed Wali Karzai, brother of President Hamid Karzai, who was a pillar of the country’s administration. One wonders what a new Afghanistan will be after the NATO forces led by the US quit. The hotel attack was evidently the work of the Taliban. But their role in Ahmed Wali Karzai’s assassination is yet not so conclusive. However, the two outrages signify a setback for the Afghan government and are indicative of Taliban belligerence. The death of Ahmed Wali Karzai will no doubt weaken the government’s hold in Kandahar which is a centre of the Taliban’s spiritual influence. Karzai combined diverse roles-tribal leader, provincial councillor, businessman and a strongman-and was a great help to his brother, Hamid Karzai, in winning the Presidential election and securing his administration.
There were of course a number of allegations against Ahmed Wali Karzai, that he was corrupt as well as being involved in drug trafficking. He also employed a private army to buttress his position. But NATO forces found in him an ally they could rely upon. He offered adequate support in southern Afghanistan which enabled NATO to focus on east Afghanistan. Karzai was also instrumental in furthering talks between the US and the Taliban. His death is a blow not only to President Hamid Karzai but also to the allied forces. Rivalry has emerged in the region, even among Karzai brothers polluting politics. Ahmed Wali Karzai’s death has created a vacuum in Afghanistan’s wobbly state of governance. One cannot rule out the importance of the role of an individual in institution building to pave the way for US withdrawal.