Is Karzai Getting Cut Out?

Can the Karzai administration be trusted? American attempts to install a "high representative" in Kabul may indicate "no." On the eve of Obama's speech addressing the next stage of military operations in Afghanistan, U.S. special envoy Richard Holbrooke is pushing for the appointment of an Afghan chief executive to watch over the oft-criticized, corrupt government run by president Hamid Karzai, reports The Guardian. In addition to a chief executive, the proposed plans also include a "contact group" to facilitate international cooperation. The measures are intended to support the surge of U.S. troops being sent to the region, but critics warn that the move would signal the Kabul government's further loss of legitimacy.