Afghan Green Coat of Many Colors, the Tajik Peter Lorre, General Thieu of Kabul……..
I watched Karzai and his rival Abdullah on the news. Karzai still reminds me of a giant green grasshopper with his “coat of many colors”, but mainly green. Abdullah reminds me of these characters in the old movies, the ones with thin moustaches and doubtful accents: sort of a Peter Lorre only he doesn’t look as slovenly and menacing as Lorre’s characters did.
Last week Prince Turkey al-Faisal, former head of Saudi intelligence advised the West to support Karzai. His main argument was a typically Arab one, particularly a Persian Gulf one, an ethnic one: Karzai is a full Pashtun a member of the ethnic group that forms a plurality in Afghanistan. He is more acceptable. They are also closest to the Saudi hearts: they are old allied and beneficiaries of Saudi money; the Taliban are all Pashtun.
The US administration seems to have accept the royal argument for Karzai. They now seem eager for a Karzai “victory”. Probably they believe that is a less problematic outcome for the US policy, corruption, warts and all. He is the general Thieu of Kabul.
Cheers
mhg
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