This is the guy succeeded by Rashid Dostum, the Uzbeck warlord who recaptured Mazar-e-Sharif. Dostum wasn't nearly the unifying force Massoud would have been, and Hamid Karzai has been able to dilute Dostum's influence in the post-war Afghan government.
Massoud's assassination definitely changed the face of Afghan politics. By all accounts, he would have been the new president.
Whatever happened to Massoud's lieutenant? I think his name was Abdullah Adbullah or Dr. Abdullah.