Main focus of Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Afghanistan before the elections

One day before the presidential elections in Afghanistan the European press assesses the chances of incumbent Hamid Karzai and the new wave of violence gripping the country. On Tuesday the radical Islamist Taliban fired missiles at the presidential palace in Kabul and a suicide bomber killed himself and at least ten others, while in Jalalabad east of Kabul missiles have exploded near the airport.

Berlingske - Denmark

One day before the presidential elections in Afghanistan the Copenhagen daily Berlingske Tidende writes that the favourite, current President Hamid Karzai, is not the optimal candidate but the safest one: "Karzai is not popular in the West because he has failed to make any real progress during his term in office. He is also accused of turning a blind eye to the widespread corruption. Nevertheless it must be said that he is the best candidate, because he has experience and because a change of power at this point would throw Afghanistan into a new crisis. That's something Nato and the Western world can do without. ... Karzai is not the optimal candidate, but the problem is that the other candidates aren't either. For that reason Karzai - despite everything - is the safer bet." (19/08/2009)

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Der Standard - Austria

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is dependent on the West for his political survival, writes Markus Bernath in the daily Der Standard: "The support of the US and the West for the Karzai government could unintentionally ... provoke a kickback that ultimately disfavours the Americans and Europeans. ... The US and its allies cannot declare they've won and withdraw after a certain amount of time has elapsed, in Afghanistan even less than in Iraq. Afghanistan needs a functioning administration, a sound economy and a society that can ward off the influence of extremists. Pending that it will once more become a haven for international terrorism. With massive troop deployment and a new aid plan the US wants to change things in Afghanistan. Perhaps Karzai realises that his survival also depends on the success of the West." (19/08/2009)

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Le Monde - France

The daily Le Monde comments on the enhanced security prior to the presidential elections in Afghanistan: "While our democracies doze in the summer sun, on 20 August a strategic game for the global balance is being played in the presidential elections in Afghanistan. Whether the incumbent President Hamid Karzai will be relected or not ultimately does not matter very much. What is at stake is nothing less than the viability of the Afghan peace process, which the international community set in motion the day after the fall of the Taliban regime at the end of 2001. ... We must call a spade a spade: the process is threatened. There are two dangers lurking here. Firstly, the new threat from the Taliban ... who already control part of southern and eastern Afghanistan. ... But the greatest danger lies elsewhere: in the weariness that has engulfed public opinion with regard to the human - and financial - costs of the Nato operation in this incomprehensible country." (18/08/2009)

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Dagens Nyheter - Sweden

Prior to the presidential elections in Afghanistan the Stockholm daily Dagens Nyheter reminds its readers of the enormous tasks facing the country: "The greatest challenge for Afghanistan is to build a functioning and legitimate government. For the Taliban the only legitimate authority is Islam. The democratic forces need to win the trust of the people. To succeed they must tackle two things simultaneously. The Afghan government must gain control over the country. Without a military and police infrastructure nothing functions. Building schools only for them to burn down again leads only to disappointment and agitation. But there is a need for a civilian infrastructure as well. Without schools, hospitals, roads and new jobs, rabble-rousers, the Taliban and criminal clan leaders will recruit new supporters." (19/08/2009)

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