Well I guess Karzai can sense who is the “strong horse”. Seriously though, a good indication as to how perverse the Islamic world can be is to take a look at the more “moderate” leaders over there – Mubarak in Egypt, Musharref (formerly) in Pakistan, Karzai in Afghanistan, the various Princes of the Royal Family of the House of Saud, and Abbas in Ramallah, and ponder – these are the best choices available considering the alternatives?
by Ralph Peters
It’s wretched enough that our “friend” Ahmed Chalabi has become Iran’s point man in Iraq. Now “our man in Kabul,” President Hamid Karzai, is quietly shifting his loyalty to Tehran.
Beyond Iranian President Mahmud Ahmedinejad’s recent chummy visit to Karzai — reported by the media but downplayed by Washington — Iran’s been training Taliban forces to kill our troops more efficiently.
Karzai hasn’t complained. Nor has he objected to Tehran’s expansion of its support for its clients in western Afghanistan. He wants that support for himself.
Far from being a gleaming apostle of democracy, Karzai’s just another hustler from the lands that perfected the con. Like Chalabi, he knew the magic words to say to Americans, then did whatever he wanted for himself, his fantastically corrupt family and his cronies.
Publicly, the Obama administration continues to support Karzai, since the White House doesn’t have a Plan B. But no end of US officers fresh from the combat zone are disgusted with the latest emir in Kabul and his government’s shenanigans. For their part, our generals mutter among themselves and cross their fingers.
Karzai’s people despise him; his allies distrust him; his enemies mock him. And our troops keep him in power. Does that sound like a formula for success?
[…]
Pressured gently by a hand-wringing Obama administration to reform his government and deliver services to his people, Karzai’s plainly decided that he can’t count on us for protection much longer. Double- and triple-dealing, corrupt elections, family drug deals, massive graft, phenomenally poor governance . . . sooner or later, even Washington wakes up.
Read the rest: Karzai’s tilt toward Tehran
Update by m: Speaking of Iran… Awesome Jobs: Meet Mr. Official Iranian Salute Guy! (hattip to rain of lead)
