New York Times
DAR-E-KAYAN, Afghanistan — President Hamid Karzai flew into this remote valley in Afghanistan’s central highlands Saturday to seek the vote from the Ismaili community, on his second campaign rally outside the capital ahead of the election this month.
The rally, more of a tribal gathering for the Ismailis, a sect of minority Shiite Muslims, was indicative of how Mr. Karzai has maintained political support during his nearly eight years in power, and how he is running his campaign for re-election. In the age-old tradition of Afghan politics, Mr. Karzai has sought out the support of influential tribal and religious leaders, as well as the wartime faction leaders who have merged as power brokers more recently, who can command the support of their followers and communities.
Several thousand Ismaili men, women and children gathered from four northern provinces on Friday to meet their spiritual leader, Sayed Mansoor Nadiri, in the Kayan Valley before Mr. Karzai’s appearance. Many came over the mountain passes on foot and stayed overnight sleeping under trees, in gardens and in nearby villages to receive Mr. Karzai on Saturday.
Mr. Nadiri declared that the Ismailis had decided to give their support to Mr. Karzai for the Aug. 20 presidential election, and the people agreed without demur.
“We have been ordered by our leader to vote for Hamid Karzai,” said Khaliq Dad, 40, who drove with his wife and four children on dozens of miles of rugged dirt roads to attend the rally. “His choice is our choice,” he said of Mr. Nadiri.
Once broadly popular among the people of Afghanistan, Mr. Karzai’s approval ratings have dived over the last three years. Now he is widely criticized for corruption in his administration, for his continued alliances with warlords and power brokers, and for the strengthening Taliban insurgency.
Yet the Ismailis, an impoverished, remote community that suffered intensely under Taliban rule, will almost certainly follow their spiritual leaders’ direction.
“We, the Ismaili community, through our council and our political allies have chosen Hamid Karzai as our candidate and consider him better than the other candidates,” Mr. Nadiri said at a news briefing for journalists in Kayan. He praised Mr. Karzai as having brought democracy to Afghanistan and making his cabinet reflect many ethnicities. In tribal fashion, Mr. Nadiri hosted the gathering, feeding several thousand of his people for two days as they gathered to see Mr. Karzai.
Abdul Nazar, 50, a poor resident of the Kayan Valley, was one of several hundred men who enthusiastically pressed forward to greet their leader. He complained about the lack of water and food in his village and criticized Mr. Karzai’s government as having neglected the valley, but nevertheless he said he would vote again for Mr. Karzai.
“We received no help from the government, but we will support Karzai as our leader,” he said.
Mr. Karzai flew in with a fleet of three helicopters, and was greeted by villagers who had been waiting for hours in the intense sun. Hundreds of Afghan soldiers with the National Army, presidential bodyguards, police and intelligence officers were deployed the day before in the valley to guarantee security.
Mr. Karzai thanked the people and Mr. Nadiri for their support and spoke of his achievements in government, like the increased number of students in universities and increased money in Afghanistan’s treasury.
“We have made a long trip, a long trip with much happiness. But our happiness has been mixed with sorrows as we do not have overall security in the country,” he told the crowd. “Still terrorism exists, and still it is killing our people.”
He emphasized his three-point development plan for Afghanistan, an internationally financed program that has also become his campaign mantra.
“If I win I will have three specific programs: first to enhance peace, second to keep good relations and friendship with the world, the U.S. and Islamic world, and third to continue development, including education and building roads,” he said.
He also promised to focus on agriculture and water. “With agriculture we can stand on our own feet and feed not only ourselves but other countries. And with water we can make dams and produce electricity,” he said. “We are going forward with strong steps.”
3 U.S. Soldiers Killed in Blasts
Three American soldiers were killed in two blasts in southern Afghanistan on Saturday, an American military spokesman said.
Thousands of American and British troops are conducting anti-Taliban operations in the region ahead of this month’s presidential elections.
Separately, a French soldier was killed and two others were wounded during a clash with insurgents north of Kabul, the French military said in a statement.
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