In his inauguration speech, Karzai described corruption as a ‘dangerous problem’ and promised to organize a conference to find ways to counter the scourge. Karzai won plaudits for his inauguration speech from Western officials including the US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, who said it was an “important new starting point” as the US-led war stretches into its ninth year.

But Karzai is expected to face his first hurdle within weeks, with the international community and disillusioned Afghans keenly awaiting his cabinet line-up as a sign of his commitment to change when he picks up members of his cabinet.

Karzai was declared President of Afghanistan when the only opponent in the Afghan runoff election, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah decided to quit the race.

United Nations has total of 1100 foreigners in Afghanistan and about 600 expatriate staff will be temporarily relocated either within Afghanistan or abroad.

UN spokesman Dan McNorton said:

Around 600 non-Afghan staff will be temporarily relocated. The only people who will remain are regarded as essential staff. This is to ensure the safety of all our staff in Afghanistan. Most of the 600 would leave the country but a few could be relocated in Afghanistan.

The decision would be reviewed regularly and was expected to be effective for “a number of weeks while additional security is being put in place,” McNorton said. Related article: Iraq model for Afghanistan

The UN insists it remains committed to its work in the country, but its senior officials have complained of being increasingly treated as a soft target. In a statement UN said,

Every effort will be made to minimize disruption to our activities while these additional security steps are being taken.

460 international troops working as part of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) have been killed so far this year in Afghanistan.

Dr. Abdullah told the reporters:

As far as I’m concerned, the decision I have reached is not to participate. I have strong, strong reservations about the credibility of the process.

Karzai who had been favorite to win the run-off after getting more votes in an August 20 first round marred by widespread fraud said in a statement:

Dr Abdullah’s decision has disappointed us. Hiss team would accept whatever rulings are made by the IEC and legal authorities such as the Supreme Court.

The Independent Election Commission (IEC) has announced that according to the contitution, the election will be held as scheduled.

Abdullah’s withdrawal, and the IEC’s decision to push ahead with the process, presents the possibility of foreign countries now being asked to put more troops at risk to secure an election in which the winner is already known.

Weakened Afghan government with almost no credibility will be a blow to Obama administration that hoped that there will be less irregularities in Afghan run-off elections.

Holbrooke said:

It is reasonable to hope that there will be less irregularities this time for several reasons. Three, the international community, including the forces under Gen. (Stanley) McChrystal’s command, are going to go all-out to help make this a success.

In his remarks at the State Department, Richard Holbrooke also sought to dispel suggestions that his relations with Afghan President Hamid Karzai are so bad that he is unable to work with the Afghan leader.

In terms of my relationships with President Karzai, they’re fine. They’re correct. They’re appropriate. I speak to him on behalf of my government, and he speaks as president of the country. I respect him. And if he is re-elected as president on November 7, we all look forward to working closely with him in pursuit of mutual goals.

I am seeing Karzai in a few days and I have absolutely no problems with him. And it’s as simple as that.

The Obama administration is counting on the November 7, 2009 vote being held in a way that Afghans and the international community see as legitimate. An outcome short of that is likely to raise further doubts about the wisdom of investing more U.S. troops and other resources in a counterinsurgency campaign in Afghanistan. A key pillar of that campaign is an Afghan government that is a credible partner of the U.S. and NATO.

Vice President Joe Biden, meanwhile, rejected criticism by former Vice President Dick Cheney that President Barack Obama’s decision on whether to expand the U.S. war footing in Afghanistan is taking too long.

Biden told reporters traveling with him as he flew back to Washington from central Europe:

I think that is absolutely wrong. I think what the administration is doing is exactly what we said it would do.

Holbrooke also announced that Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is going to visit Pakistan to meet with government officials, leaders of the political opposition, civic leaders and business interests. He declined to provide specifics, saying details are being kept under wraps to protect Clinton’s security in a country that has been rocked by terrorist attacks in recent weeks. He lamented what he called speculation in Pakistan about the precise timing of her visit and the locations she intends to visit.

It will be Clinton’s first trip to Pakistan as secretary of state. She has not visited Afghanistan since taking office.

While addressing to reporters, NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said:

It does not solve the problems in Afghanistan just to hunt down and kill individual terrorists. What we need is a much broader strategy, which stabilizes the whole Afghan society. I have noted a broad support from all ministers on this counter-insurgency approach, but let me stress, without discussing the resource implications of these recommendations.

McChrystal’s strategy puts protection of the Afghan civilians at the epicentre of the military action, forcing the fighters to come to the military alliance and its partners.

US Defense Secretary Roberts Gates indicated that a number of his European allies appeared ready to provide more resources to carry out the plan, drawn up by the top commander in Afghanistan, US General Stanley McChrystal. Gates said:

There were a number of allies, who have indicated they were thinking about or moving towards increasing their military or their civilian contributions or both, and I found that very heartening.

NATO’s aim in Afghanistan has been to foster security, democracy reconstruction in a country wracked by more than 30 years of war by leading a force of some 70,000 troops drawn from 43 nations. The US forces separately conduct operations to root out al-Qaeda. The reports suggest that currently the Taliban and other networks hold the initiative, 8 years after the Taliban were ousted from power in Afghanistan.

The success of US and NATO forces in Afghanistan depends on how swiftly they can help the Afghans to build the infrastructure and assist in providing basic amenities.   Once the Afghan people observe that foreign forces are there to help and not to conquer or invade their cultural norms, they will start to cooperate with the operating NATO forces. Eventually it will not only speed up the rehabilitation process but also weed out the extremist elements responsible for all the destruction,  and deaths of Afghan people.

The design as shown in the picture consists of generator, a chain, gears and pedals. It seems to be a good idea but I am not sure for how long a child be able to use the laptop while pedaling for power at the same time. The design is not that child friendly at all – well that is my oppinion based on the looks in a picture as I have not personally used it ever.

I think that foot pedal sewing machine mechanism is much better option to crank the generator as compared this design. Some of you may remember that design.

The other option could be the renewable energy source. Some area of Afghanistan are rich in wind resources and small wind mills for generating electricity to power these laptops as well as the school might be a feasible alternative to this pedal powered design.

The increased level of US troops will help to ease the strain of deployment, as many troops have faced repeated lengthy rotations in Afghanistan or Iraq.

Gates said that tThe increase will not create new combat forces but will help both commanders in the field and families back home by reducing the pressures of multiple rotations.

Do you see any change in policy from Bush administration to the new Obama administration which promissed a ‘change’.  The only change which I see is the increased level of troops to intensify the war on terrorism in Afghanistan.  There is no significant change neither any indication of change in plan for the Afghanistan and Gulf region untill the complete control of the region’s resources.

The president Obama further added, “If we have a high-value target within our sights, after consulting with Pakistan, we’re going after them. But our main thrust has to be to help Pakistan defeat these extremists.” 

Obama further said, “What we wanna do is say to the Pakistani people: You are our friends, you are our allies. We are going to give you the tools to defeat al-Qaeda and to root out these safe havens. But we also expect some accountability. And we expect that you understand the severity and the nature of the threat.”

US has been conducting Drone attacks in Northern Areas of Pakistan for sometimes now. Although Pakistan has asked US to halt drone attacks, US has no plans to do so as Defence Secretary Robert Gates has termed these missile strikes affective.

Drone attacks may have been affective in killing few extremists, but unfortunately most of the people killed during these attacks were no extermists. I think that if US wants to eradicate extremism from Afghanistan or Pakistan, she needs to change the policy in these areas. Extremism only breeds extremism and that is what exactly happening. Les war and more focus on humanitarian work will ensure the people that US and NATO troops are not to rule them but to help them to improve their lives.

The operations that we are conducting are so worthless. We hold tiny areas of ground in Helmand and we are kidding ourselves if we think our influence goes beyond 500 metres (yards) of our security bases.  It’s just crazy to think we hold that ground or have any influence on what goes on beyond the bases. We go out on operations, have a punch-up with the Taliban and then go back to camp for tea. We are not holding the ground. The Taliban know where we are. They know full well when we have gone back into camp.

I don’t think we have even scratched the surface as far as this conflict goes. The level of attrition and casualties is only set to rise. This is the equivalent to the start of the Vietnam conflict, there is much more to come.

There are 8300 British soldiers in Afghanistan. The whole world is going into a deep economic hole which all started due to economic crisis in USA. Can it be due to the money being wasted by US on war in Afghanistan and then Iraq?

Abdul Salam Zaeef, the Taliban’s former ambassador to Pakistan, denied that the get-together could be construed as peace talks. But President Hamid Karzai has long called for negotiations with the Taliban, and the meeting could spur future initiatives.

U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Wood referred reporters to the Afghan or Saudi governments for comment on the alleged meeting in Saudi Arabia. A spokesman for Karzai’s office declined to comment.

The only way to peace is negotiation with each other. Killing each other will never resolve this issue and only brings more destruction and misery to their own people. There is nothing in this world that cannot be resolved through diaglouge if there is a strong will and commitment to do so.