Karin von Hippel, '', Foreign Policy, 30 September 2009

EXCERPT: "The recent Afghan presidential elections, marred by serious accusations of fraud, have served as a much-needed catalyst for questioning the United States' overall goal and purpose in the country. A more robust national discussion -- one that was notably lacking before the war in Iraq -- should be considered critical to President Barack Obama's decision about the way forward in light of the recommendations presented by his commander in the field, Gen. Stanley McChrystal. Many coalition countries have also been going through similar existential crises: Canada and the Netherlands have already committed to military end-dates, and Italy may be next in the queue after losing six soldiers on September 17. There are growing rumbles in Germany and the United Kingdom, two countries also confronting increased domestic disenchantment with the war. Significantly, this heightened anxiety over the war has not fallen on deaf ears inside Afghanistan, and is reverberating loudly throughout the presidential palace in Kabul. Afghan concern that the West's financial and military lifeline may be pared back significantly should concentrate minds in Kabul, and may in fact provide the necessary stimulus to turn things around."

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See also:
'US Afghan strategy hinges on reliable ally in Kabul', NPR, 30 September 2009
'White House backs NATO call for anti-corruption contract with Afghanistan', FOXNews, 30 September 2009
'Fighting corruption key to future US ties to Karzai', Reuters, 29 September 2009
'', Financial Times, 22 September 2009
'Corruption eats away at Afghan government', The Globe and Mail, 19 September 2009

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'Assessment of corruption in Afghanistan', 22 May 2009
'', 24 March 2009
'"Corruption and incompetence cripple reconstruction effort"', 20 February 2009
'Pervasive corruption fuels deep anger', 25 November 2008