Fred Kaplan in Slate: How John Kerry got the Afghan leader to see sense.

[whometense]

http://www.slate.com/id/2233153/

Fred Kaplan writes good common sense about what went on behind-the scenes.

Sen. John Kerry's successful mission to Kabul—in which he convinced Afghan President Hamid Karzai to hold a second-round runoff to August's fraud-soaked election—suggests that the Obama administration is putting the squeeze on Karzai to clean up his act as a precondition to getting more U.S. troops to help fight his war.

The squeeze was subtler—or, at least quieter—than the yelling sessions that AfPak envoy Richard Holbrooke and Vice President Joe Biden—both famously voluble characters—have held with Karzai in recent months...

...Enter Kerry, who can be viewed as a somewhat independent player—close to, but not formally a part of, the Obama administration—whose style is the farthest thing from brash.

Politically, Karzai cannot afford to look as though he's buckling to foreign pressure. If he goes along with a runoff election, he has to make it seem that the decision was his alone. Pressure from an outside power can work only if it's applied with discretion and respect. Kerry, who was on a trip to Afghanistan and Pakistan anyway, was the right man for the mission...

Lots more at the link.

[YvonneCa]

1. What a good article. Thanks, whome, for...

...posting this.

[MH1]

2. Yes, very nice article

Nice to see sensible writing about Afghanistan. (and JK)

[karynnj]

3. Great article

On Farheed Zakaria's GPS show on CNN, Karzai when asked about pressure from the west, interrupted his answer to note that JK conducted himself very very well. It is disturbing that Holbrooke would have engaged in a houting match, no matter how angry he got. The fact is that we can not succeed there without the government of Afghanistan. Biden's action was not that cool either. No wonder JK succeeded when they failed on changing his opinion.

[Luftmensch067]

4. Whose style is the farthest thing from brash

Excellent article and I loved that phrase the best!

[ginnyinWI]

5. perfect man for the mission.

So glad he was there.

Hi Whome--it's been a while! :hi: