Afghanistan Analysts Network – English

Posts tagged: Karzai

Karzai

Afghanistan’s 2019 Election (25): contradictory figures and low turnout in Kandahar

Fazl Rahman Muzhary •

Kandahar’s turnout looks like it will be less than half the national average, pending finalisation of the numbers. There are many possible reasons for this, chief among them fraud, with limited reporting but plenty of anecdotal evidence of ballot stuffing and other irregularities. But Kandaharis also seem to have been deterred by the low level […]

Political Landscape Read more
Two of Mehwar leaders, former NDS chief Nabil and former transport minister Najafi, along with other participants standing for national anthem during Mehwar's inauguration ceremony in Kabul on 16 July 2017. Credit: Mehwar

Mehwar-e Mardom-e Afghanistan: New opposition group with an ambiguous link to Karzai

Ali Yawar Adili •

 A new political group called ‘Mehwar-e Mardom-e Afghanistan’ has emerged in Afghanistan’s crowded political field. It presents itself as being in opposition to the National Unity Government and has called for “a return to the constitution.” The group has been seen from the outset as pro-Karzai. He, meanwhile, seems to have intensified his attempts (once […]

Political Landscape Read more
Picture shows former president Karzai with his hands raised to calm the crowd, flanked by among others Ustad Sayyaf.

Post-Presidential Karzai: Still a challenge to the NUG?

Ali Yawar Adili •

Hamid Karzai may have handed over the reigns of power in September 2014, but his influence on Afghanistan’s politics did not end. His calls for a Loya Jirga, as the National Unity Government approached its two-year anniversary, represented a danger to that government. However, political groups and influential individuals, even those who had previously been […]

Political Landscape Read more

The Unity Government’s First Six Months: Where is the governance?

Thomas Ruttig •

After six months of Afghan Unity Government – what has been achieved? President Ghani, some say, has been ruling with a ‘two-man government’ (him and Hanif Atmar, head of the National Security Council), leading many to feel left out. ‘Strategic silence’ has become a somewhat mocking term for Ghani’s style of government – or is he […]

Political Landscape Read more
Kabul Bank: glitzy facade, foul credits. Photo: ToloNews

AAN Podcasts: Martine van Bijlert talks Kabul Bank

Thomas Ruttig •

Regular visitors to the AAN website will have noticed that we have added an additional channel to our publications: podcasts. Although we already posted some podcasts earlier on (visit the archive here), you will be able to literally hear from us more regularly, from now on. We start our new podcast series with a comment […]

Economy, Development, Environment Read more

Karzai struggles against foreign detentions – state releases Taleban?

Kate Clark •

In the last weeks of his presidency, President Hamed Karzai has again been trying to eradicate the last traces of foreign involvement in detentions, sending a commission to investigate the so-called Tor Jail, an American interrogation facility on Bagram airbase, and reactivating the Afghan Review Board, which had been sifting detainees transferred by the US […]

Rights and Freedoms Read more

Afghanistan’s government split as Karzai suspends special forces chiefs

AAN •

The Guardian, 21 May 2014 President Karzai “has suspended the three police special forces commanders responsible for securing the capital during crucial presidential elections, and plans to try them in a court martial for making illegal detentions and desecrating a mosque”, the British newspaper reports. “The three men have also been accused of collaborating with US […]

Recommended Reads Read more

Outgoing Afghan leader not going anywhere, to U.S. chagrin

Thomas Ruttig •

Reuters, 13 May 2014 In an article looking at the future of outgoing Afghan president Hamed Karzai, AAN’s Thomas Ruttig is quoted: Thomas Ruttig, co-director of independent research organization Afghanistan Analysts Network in Kabul, says Karzai has positioned himself well to stay in the political game. “Karzai successfully has worked with all major contenders for […]

AAN in the Media Read more

Out But Not Down: Afghan Candidates Say They’ll Offer Karzai An Advisory Role

AAN •

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 9 April 2014 Discussing the post-election role of outgoing President Hamed Karzai, "Kate Clark, a senior analyst at Afghanistan Analysts Network, an independent research organization in Kabul, says the three front-runners do not want to alienate Karzai. 'Hamid Karzai is by no means a lame duck president, even now,' she says. 'So, regardless […]

AAN in the Media Read more

Leadership in Karzai’s shadow: Afghanistan’s next president to win vote, not total control

admin •

Washington Times, 6 April 2014 This article has a small quote from AAN's Thomas Ruttig pointing out that not everything that did not go well in Afghanistan can be blamed on President Karzai and about Afghan reactions to the US-Afghan spat about the BSA: “Many Afghans were tired of the high-handedness of the West in […]

AAN in the Media Read more

Karzai’s legacy may surprise us

AAN •

Dawn/Washington Post, 6 April 2014 In an article looking at the legacy of President Hamed Karzai, AAN's Martine van Bijlert requests some more balance: “In the beginning, Karzai was viewed through rose-tinted glasses,” said Martine van Bijlert, co-director of the Kabul-based Afghanistan Analysts Network. “Now, there’s a very negative view of him, particularly in the […]

AAN in the Media Read more

Sota l’ombra de Karzai

admin •

El Punt Avui (Girona), 5 April 2014 Pre-election report by the Catalonian newspaper, with long quotes by AAN's Thomas Ruttig: Tot i aquests aires de renovació, el nou president tindrà un gran repte. És l'opinió de Thomas Ruttig, fundador, codirector i analista del think tank independent Afghanistan Analists Network (AAN). “El nou president ha de cobrir les […]

AAN in the Media Read more

Subscribe to receive updates from the Afghanistan Analysts Network

Sign up