Afghan future depends on Karzai anti-graft fight

In a country where corruption affects almost every aspect of daily life, a pledge by Afghanistan's reinstated President Hamid Karzai to clean up graft is being met with widespread scepticism.

Since being named president on Monday by an election commission staffed by his appointees, Karzai has come under pressure from Western allies to eradicate what he called the "stain of corruption" from his government.

As US President Barack Obama considers requests from military commanders to deploy tens of thousands more troops to fight the Taliban insurgency, he urged Karzai to back his words with deeds.

Congratulations have poured in from world leaders, though many have attached warnings that Karzai must make substantial, rapid progress on eradicating corruption.

The top US military officer Wednesday demanded decisive action from Karzai against what he called "endemic" corruption, saying tainted officials had to be prosecuted.

"That means that you have to rid yourself of those who are corrupt, you have to actually arrest and prosecute them. You have to show those visible signs," Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Admiral Mike Mullen told reporters in Washington. Related article: Iraq surge for Afghanistan?

Closer to home, Afghan analysts and activists warn a lack of action could further undermine what is widely perceived as an illegitimate government.

"The government will have a very short life if they don't take very serious action on corruption," said independent activist Orzala Ashraf.

"He (Karzai) has no choice but to show improvement in the very short term, he has to do something about it because if there is a non-functioning government, what will happen on the humanitarian side? If there is no transparency, what will happen to security?"

At his first public appearance since being confirmed, Karzai was flanked by Vice-President Mohammad Qasim Fahim, widely accused of rights abuses, as he said: "Afghanistan's image has been tainted by corruption. We will strive, by any means possible, to eradicate this stain."

Karzai was declared president for another five years after the Independent Election Commission cancelled a November 7 run-off following the withdrawal of the only challenger, Abdullah Abdullah.

Turnout for the August 20 poll was as low as five percent in some areas due to Taliban threats of violence and a UN-backed electoral watchdog found more than one million fake votes -- most cast for Karzai.

Abdullah says Karzai's presidency is illegal and as such his government cannot deliver on anti-corruption pledges.

Corruption is endemic at every level of Afghan society, from traffic policemen who demand cash at ubiquitous road blocks, to officials and their relatives implicated in large-scale drug trafficking.

Kabul is experiencing a building boom founded on the proceeds of opium production -- the world's highest -- with massive houses dubbed "poppy palaces" springing up across the capital.

There is little to show for the billions of aid dollars that has poured in since the repressive Taliban regime was overthrown in 2001.

The deputy head of the government's anti-corruption office, Ershad Ahmadi, blames a culture in which Afghans are unwilling to take responsibility for their actions.

"The blame game of 'You are corrupt,' 'Yes, but you are corrupt too,' has to end. Both the Afghan government and the international community must build their moral authority," Ahmadi wrote in British newspaper The Times.

More than 100,000 foreign troops under NATO and US command are fighting a resurgent Taliban, said by the London-based International Council for Security and Development to have a permanent presence in 80 percent of the country. Related article: Kabul's british cemetery

Their expanding influence has been aided, diplomats say, by inept, corrupt and, in some places, non-existent police and judiciary.

"Who would you rather go to if your house is broken into or your sheep is stolen? The local cop who demands money and does nothing, or the Taliban who gets your sheep back and punishes the thief?" said a Western diplomat.

Political analyst Waheed Mujda said Karzai must prove his commitment to fighting corruption by creating a "strong, honest and clean (cabinet) team."

"In the past Karzai was afraid of working with strong persons who could help end corruption but if he wants to fight and eliminate corruption he needs those type of people," he said.