Behind the Scenes: John Kerry & the Karzai Deal

[ProSense]

Behind the Scenes: John Kerry & the Karzai Deal

ABC's Jonathan Karl reports from Washington:

Over the last five days in Afghanistan, John Kerry acted more like a Secretary of State than a Senator, playing the central role in brokering an agreement with Afghan President Hamid Karzai to accept a new presidential election

As Kerry engaged in shuttle diplomacy – going back and forth between the Karzai and Abdullah camps and between Afghanistan and Pakistan – top Obama administration officials, including Hillary Clinton and Richard Holbrooke were thousands of miles away in Washington.

Based on interviews with people familiar with what transpired in Kabul, here’s a look at Kerry’s highly unusual actions:

Friday, October 16

Kerry, on a long scheduled trip to Afghanistan/Pakistan, meets for dinner in Kabul with a group of US troops from Massachusetts and US Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry. Ambassador Eikenberry tells Kerry that there’s a real problem in Kabul: Karzai is adamantly refusing to accept the UN election commission’s conclusion that roughly one-third of his votes were fraudulent, putting his vote total at less than the 50 percent needed to avoid a run-off election.

At Ambassador Eikenberry’s request, Kerry makes an unscheduled visit to the presidential palace to meet with Karzai. He spends several hours at the palace, leaving shortly before midnight without a resolution.

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[PopSixSquish]

1. Sometimes the Best Person for a Job is Someone from the Outside

Senator Kerry certainly brings the knowledge and experience for this situation and maybe he was able to speak to Karzai on more of the same level without all the hullabaloo which would accompany someone from the administration.

Well done Senator Kerry, well done...

[tekisui]

2. Incredible work, Sen. Kerry!

I am much impressed. Good on you and President Obama for sending you.

Curious about this November 7th election, now.

[karynnj]

3. What an incredible story

It is also interesting in that it does show Kharzi's actions in a more sympathetic light than most earlier stories. It has to be hard for Kharzi to go from the US considering him as a savior of Afghanistan to being angered by his government's corruption. If the earlier image had any truth behind it, I hope he can get break from the corruption and return to that. I would think that even if he loses, his support will be needed to avoid clashes with the Pastuns.

[wisteria]

4. Incredible job from Senator Kerry! n/t

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