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Kabul » The challenger in Afghanistan's recent election called President Hamid Karzai's victory illegal and his government a failure, saying Wednesday that the tainted administration would not be able to check corruption or fend off the Taliban.
Former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah said he did not plan to personally challenge Karzai's victory in court, but would leave it up to the Afghan people to decide whether to accept Karzai as the legitimate leader for another five-year term.
The Afghan election commission proclaimed Karzai the victor of the country's tumultuous ballot on Monday after Abdullah withdrew from a runoff race he said could not be free or fair. It was widely believed that Karzai would have won the runoff vote, but Abdullah contended that he was quitting not as a concession, but because he couldn't trust the process.
Abdullah appeared to be setting himself up as an opposition leader in a country where political parties are not strong and there has never been a vigorous political movement in opposition to the president.
U.S. officials have been eager for a credible, legitimate government to emerge from the turbulent electoral process to serve as reliable partner against the Taliban and solidify public support for the fight against the insurgents.
