Afghan re-vote: Credibility at last?

What Hamid Karzai's agreement to submit to a runoff does for the image of the Kabul government

Weeks of relentless diplomacy by Western statesmen have apparently paid off: Afghan President Hamid Karzai has accepted the need for a November 7 runoff vote to resolve the disputed election. Even so, what are the chances that new polling will lead to a legitimate government in Kabul?

Slim, unless we can win over cynical Afghans: The runoff vote offers Washington and its allies a "last chance to deliver a clear and decisive commitment to the Afghan people," says Tom Goghlan in The Guardian. Even if the vote produces a legitimate government, it must be sustained with persuasive follow-up. "Otherwise, there is no point in being there."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us