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| Afghanistan |
| Pashtun Warlord Boycotts Assembly |
| 2002-06-19 |
| A day before the Loya Jirga began on June 10, Khost warlord Pacha Khan Zadran had told reporters that ex-king Zahir Shah was the only viable candidate for the presidency and warned of further violence were he not to be elected. Or even if he was. What the hell? But the following day, Shah announced he would not seek any political post in Afghanistan's transitional government and the assembly elected Karzai soon after. Now delegates say Zadran has returned to Khost. Got in his huff and drove away, did he? That happens pretty often when Pashtuns can't have their way... Zadran's walkout has alienated everyone including the president-elect and the ex-king the warlord claims to support so strongly. But that's okay, because he put on a show. People paid attention to him. If people don't pay attention to you, you're nothin'... This new development is the latest controversy involving the military chief, who was appointed governor of Paktia by Karzai in the first days of the interim administration. A series of unpopular decisions and intense political rivalry in the province prompted the local council to replace him with another local strongman, Taj Mohammad Wardak. Zadran resisted, and dozens of people were killed in the ensuing violence. "But that's okay, long as us Pashtuns get our way." Bet he spit when Wardak was named interior minister. |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |