Afghanistan Times
Related Articles
“Our inability to listen to his [Karzai] analysis in a timely way was, over and over again, the explanation of our wrong direction”
AT News
KABUL: Afghanistan’s former President Hamid Karzai has been endorsed once again by prominent foreign diplomats for an exemplary leadership during his post-Taliban presidency and in early 2010s before a dramatic American military drawdown.
A fascinating book by Norwegian diplomat narrates the shrewd decisions and political acumen of the then President Hamid Karzai and his despondent premonitions of bleak days ahead if future politicians go astray of the path he had set in politics.
Based on the author’s own conversations with President Karzai and other Afghan politicians, as well as prominent international representatives, “Power Struggle over Afghanistan” is a Kai Eide’s, former UN envoy to Afghanistan, account of his experience in Afghanistan.
The book which holds Karzai in awe has been widely endorsed in the political milieu. “I cannot resist the temptation. The more I look back, the more I admire Karzai,” he said in a recent tweet about his book on Sunday.
Former U.S. acting special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Jarrett Blanc, said in a tweet; “I wholeheartedly endorse the sentiment about Karzai. He is a gifted Afghan politician, and our inability to listen to his analysis in a timely way was, over and over again, the explanation of our wrong direction”.
The book seeks to recall President Karzai’s unflinching determination for a better Afghanistan and his forewarnings about apocalyptic portents of an era of political polarization – which is choking the country now. Afghanistan is now embroiled in controversy over who reigns the country or how the power should be shared between its two dominating leaders – Ghani and Abdullah. It has been six months since the high-stakes presidential vote which has given rise to dissent and a toxic political schism.
