Chaos in the streets. Men with automatic weapons and mortars. Attacks on diplomats and top government officials. People fleeing in terror. Military patrols and checkpoints allover.
Sounds like an average day in Baghdad, but this was in fact the scene in Afghanistan after a failed attempt on the life of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, high-ranking government officials, and diplomats during a celebration over the triumph over the Soviets. Approximately six Taliban sympathizers came out of a building or possibly were hiding behind a barricade and armed with automatic weapons and mortars began firing on the dignitaries. Most news reports say that 3 people were killed and a few dozen wounded by the attack.
The question however remains that after Karzai reacts initially to this attack how will he react to this brazen attack. This attack bears a very striking resemblance to the 1981 attack on Anwar Sadat of Egypt with killed the Egyptian leader and led to a state-of-emergency that remains until today. Will Karzai, who just two days ago told the US military to stop going after Taliban militants, gravitate towards martial law and strengthen his executive power or will he focus on pinpoint raids and arrests of Taliban militants?
Tragedy of this type puts Afghanistan at a crossroads, what will they do about militants of the opposition? Can they move beyond putting down rebellions and opposition using blunt-force or do they still have some maturation as a nation to go?
Liberal or illiberal Democracy, Karzai. You decide.
Links:
CNN Story Here
StrongModerate's Story on Karzai's demand of US military Here
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