Afghanistan

The Incredible Shrinking Hamid Karzai

Power dwindles with new parliament.

With the long-awaited arrival of Afghanistan's new parliament, Hamid Karzai's power in the war-ravaged country has taken a turn for the worse. The Afghan leader has become increasingly isolated, diplomats and members of the government tell The New York Times. Karzai seems to have alienated nearly everyone: those who lost parliamentary races, those who won—by appearing to be willing to postpone and possibly annul their election—and Western allies who find him to be an uneasy partner. "Nobody is left for President Karzai, nobody is supporting him," said one prominent candidate from Helmand province. "And, I doubt the new parliament will support him."