Posted on 07/22/2004 9:51:47 AM PDT by HAL9000
KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) -- A powerful Afghan warlord will challenge President Hamid Karzai in the country's historic October elections, his spokesman said Thursday.Abdul Rashid Dostum decided to run after securing support across the war-riven country's deep ethnic divides, his spokesman Faizullah Zaki said. He also was feted by thousands of supporters at a rally Thursday in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif.
"He didn't want to depend on his own movement, he wanted more people to support him, and today the people showed that," Zaki said. "He will run for president."
Dostum, like another half dozen likely challengers, lacks the national appeal to pose a direct threat to Karzai at the ballot box. A former communist and commander of a feared militia during the country's civil wars, he is widely mistrusted.
But he could win support among fellow ethnic Uzbeks who live mainly in the north of the country and help force a run-off if Karzai fails to secure more than 50 percent in a first round set for Oct. 9.
Dostum's Jumbesh militia, based mainly in the northeast of the country, was part of the Northern Alliance forces that helped the United States drive out the Taliban in late 2001.
He has supported Karzai as interim leader, cultivated links with the U.S. government and currently holds the post of presidential security adviser for the north.
But he has been marginalized by the prominence of rival Tajiks in key ministries such as defense, and he opposed the centralized state enshrined in a new constitution pushed through by Karzai in January.
Zaki said Dostum, an ethnic Uzbek, had already collected the names of 10,000 backers needed to become a candidate and would hand in his nomination to election officials in Kabul by Monday's deadline.
Dostum is a war criminal I believe... It would be down the slope to tyranny for sure if that guy got elected.
I don't think he has a realistic chance in the election, but hope he respects the democratic process when he loses.
Uh oh! What will become of Bush's Afghanistan pipeline without his oil man Karzai in place! /heh
electoral fights are an improvement over gun fights.
It is encouraging that he has chosen to run in this election.
IMO this is good news, it would stink for Karzai to run unopposed. Also will cause a good debate of the future of their country and get people interested in policy debate.
I wonder if they'll have debates? I'd love to see the transcripts.
Dostum doesn't got a chance. Dostum is seen as participating in inter-tribal battles, which Karzai did not. From what I've read there's general feeling among most people of most groups that Karzai is at least likeable or tolerable.
"Vote for me - or I'll crush you with my tank" won't win many votes in the Pashtun areas.
How does one get to be a "War Lord?"
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