Karzai Takes Office Amid Pomp, Visitors

With one hand on the Koran, Hamid Karzai was sworn in this morning as Afghanistan’s first democratically elected president.

Just over three years after U.S. and Afghan opposition forces defeated the Taliban regime, Karazi’s inauguration began with a reading from the Koran in the grand Salam Khana, or Welcome Hall, of the presidential palace.

The Afghan leader walked slowly down a red carpet into the hall, flanked by a military honor guard. He proceeded hand in hand with former King Mohammad Zaher Shah.

Both stopped to shake hands with Vice President Dick Cheney, who sat in the front row with his wife. A few seats away was Ustad Abdul Rasul Sayyaf, a Muslim extremist once a vocal opponent of U.S. policies in Afghanistan.

Mohammed Qassim Fahim, the commander of the Northern Alliance -- which fought alongside the U.S. -- and Karzai’s former defense minister, was among several Afghan dignitaries who attended the inauguration.

Karzai shocked many Afghans just before the October presidential election when he announced that Fahim would not be one of his two running mates. Embassies and nongovernmental agencies went on a security alert fearing a violent backlash from Fahim’s supporters, but tensions quickly eased and Karzai strengthened his hold on power.

Abdul Rashid Dostum, another northern warlord who ran against Karzai, was also at the swearing-in ceremony.

Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld joined about 150 other foreign dignitaries at the inauguration in the heavily guarded palace.

Cheney is the most senior U.S. official to visit Afghanistan since U.S. and Afghan forces toppled the former Taliban regime in late 2001.

Faced with threats of Taliban attacks, Afghan security forces blocked major roads and closed the airport to commercial flights, while NATO-led troops stepped up patrols in armored vehicles and helicopters.

The Interior Ministry reported one attack in the hours before the inauguration: a rocket that struck the ancient fort of Bala Hissar, on a hill overlooking Kabul, the capital. There were no casualties.

Far from the ceremony, at least six Taliban fighters and three Afghan soldiers were killed in an attack late Monday on military posts in the province of Khowst, which is southeast of the capital, a military official said today.

For months now, Karzai’s government has been negotiating with moderate Taliban members. He hopes to persuade them to participate in parliamentary elections scheduled for April, while U.S.-led forces concentrate on hard-liners still loyal to fugitive Taliban leader Mullah Mohammed Omar or breakaway factions.

Karzai, who ran against 17 other candidates, won 55.4% of the vote in October, more than three times higher than his closest rival, former Education Minister Younis Qanooni.

Karzai had been expected to name his Cabinet immediately after his inauguration, but a spokesman said Monday night that wouldn’t happen.

Karzai repeatedly said during his presidential campaign that he wanted to choose members of his government on merit, not through negotiations with warlords, who still dominate parts of Afghanistan.

Local reports say Karzai is talking to Qanooni and Herat warlord Ismail Khan about possible posts.

Karzai met with Qanooni recently to discuss several things, including “Younis Qanooni’s future, probable role in the new Cabinet,” presidential spokesman Jawed Ludin said on local radio this morning.