11 November, 2009 — Strategic Culture Foundation

Hamid Karzai was re-elected president of Afghanistan. The run-off polls scheduled for 7 November were cancelled amid remaining tensions within the country. Radical Islam grows as Kabul continues to face constant pressure from the West.

The Indian elite is becoming more concerned about the situation in Afghanistan. Indian analysts pay much attention to the fact that the majority of the US population-irrespective of their political preferences- speaks for the unconditional withdrawal of the American troops from Afghanistan. Delhi thinks that in order to remain in power after the presidential elections of 2012, Barack Obama might order the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan. Such measure would bring changes to the geopolitical situation in the region of Central Asia, comprising some of the former Soviet republics and Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India, and thus would mean the rise of Islamic influence there.

Now that Hamid Karzai’s cooperation with the United States has become less frequent, his approval ratings are growing. By interfering in Karzai’s policies aimed at creation of the coalition of public and political forces, Washington demonstrated its intention to have control of the ‘national unity’ coalition, that would only strengthen the Taliban positions in the country. Indian experts say 80% of the Afghan territories remain under control of the Talibs, while radical Islamists are active almost all across the country.

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