Acerbic Politics

Afghanistan Struggles
From the New York Times

HERAT, Afghanistan , Nov. 4 — A recent Central Intelligence Agency assessment found that the Afghan president, Hamid Karzai , had been significantly weakened by rising popular frustration with his American-backed government, American officials say.

The assessment found that Mr. Karzai’s government and security forces continued to struggle to exert authority beyond Kabul, said a senior American official who spoke only on the condition of anonymity. The assessment also found that increasing numbers of Afghans viewed Mr. Karzai’s government as corrupt, failing to deliver promised reconstruction and too weak to protect the country from rising Taliban attacks.