Afghan policy "a script totally detached from reality"

By Steve Hynd

Veteran Afghanistan journalists Elizabeth Gould and Paul Fitzgerald, authors of "Invisible History: Afghanistan's Untold Story", spoke in Washington D.C. today about the current situation there. The Institute for Public Accuracy published its notes from their talk:

They said today: "Opinion here indicates that the administration is behind the runoff, expects Karzai to win, which will in their view legitimize the government in order that McChrystal's request for more troops can be granted. It's a script totally detached from reality. There's still no real plan except the military option. Washington apparently doesn't think public opinion in Afghanistan matters. Afghans here are all appalled by Karzai, but feel entirely left out of the process set up by the Bush gang. Afghans won't accept the verdict on Karzai no matter which way it comes in. The government insiders here are terrified that the whole thing between Pakistan and India will soon blow wide open. They're beginning to refocus on the regional collapse now underway but just don't know what to do about it. ...

"The focus on al Qaeda is all wrong. Queeta Shura of Mohammed Omar is now far more powerful with connections of its own in the Middle East. Their religious mission overpowers their political one and is drawing support from everywhere. The situation in the north is growing worse. Russians are very worried that a path is opening up for Taliban in the Northern provinces. Lots of fighting. Punjabi extremists are fighting in Helmand. Very bad sign that Pakistan is out of control."

Today the Afghan envoy to the UN ruled out any form of coalition government compromise involving Karzai's rival Abdullah Abdullah while declining to voice support for Richard Holbrooke, the White house official who has been most critical of Karzai - and who has been conspicuous by his absence from public forums this past week. Still, the White House does indeed seem to be proceeding on the assumption that Karzai will win the runoff election, the whole mess can then be spun as legitimizing the Afghan government and thus a great deal of domestic resistance to sending more troops can be defused.