Number: RS21922
Title: Afghanistan: Government Formation and Performance
Authors: Kenneth Katzman, Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs 
Abstract: The central government's limited writ and perceived corruption are helping sustain a Taliban insurgency and feeding pessimism about the Afghanistan stabilization effort. However, ethnic disputes remain confined largely to political debate and competition, enabling President Karzai to try to focus on improving governance, reversing security deterioration and on his re-election bid in the fall of 2009. Karzai is running for re-election, but he faces some loss of public confidence and fluid coalitions of potentially strong election opponents. At the same time, U.S. and Afghan officials are shifting toward promoting local governing bodies and security initiatives as a complement to efforts to build central government capabilities.
Pages: 9
Date: January 6, 2009