Clean Slate?

Karzai Promises Accountability

Looks to reassure nations sending more troops.

Though Afghan President Hamid Karzai was re-elected amid allegations of fraud, he has publicly promised that the 23 people he nominated to ministerial positions will be “accountable” and that his own political activity will stand up to scrutiny as well. “I can assure that all the newly introduced ministers, and those who have been with me in the past, will be held accountable on any issue related to corruption,” he said. “And I will be accountable before the nation of Afghanistan for preventing [corruption] and for solving this problem.” He also pointed to the diversity of his selection and vowed to include more female ministers, though out of the 23 cabinet nominees only one woman was included. Karzai’s comments come at a crucial time: The nominations are his first major political act since the scandal-plagued election, and may be a bid to reassure nations set to commit more troops to Afghanistan in response to an increased Taliban presence.