Afghan Cabinet to retain ministers favored by West -- and notorious ex-warlord

Reporting from Kabul, Afghanistan — 

Afghan President Hamid Karzai is poised to unveil a new Cabinet that retains a number of respected ministers with the West’s stamp of approval but also at least one notorious former warlord, aides disclosed Friday.

Karzai’s ministerial lineup, which could be announced as soon as today, is being closely watched by the United States and its Western allies as an indicator of whether he is serious about cracking down, as promised, on rampant corruption in his government.

Corruption is many Afghans’ chief grievance against their leaders, pervading nearly all aspects of daily life. Karzai, who was sworn in last month for a second five-year term after an election clouded by massive vote-rigging, has been put on notice by the West that he must act decisively to clean up his administration.

A list of likely Cabinet members circulating Friday included at least half a dozen ministers who have received the public blessing of U.S. and other Western officials, mainly those most closely associated with security, or with other ministries through which large amounts of foreign aid are funneled.

Nearly half of the 25-member Cabinet is being asked to stay on, including the ministers of defense, interior, finance, foreign affairs, public health and agriculture, which are considered key ministries.

The rest are apparently being dismissed, including at least two ministers embroiled in multimillion-dollar scandals.

A number of prospective ministers carry the kind of technocratic credentials that Karzai had promised to bring to his government, although a conspicuous absentee is Ashraf Ghani, a former World Bank economist who is highly regarded in the West and a onetime rival to Karzai.

On the list of those keeping their jobs, though, is Ismail Khan, minister of water and energy and an influential former militia leader with a power base in the west of Afghanistan.

Western diplomats had made no secret of their wish to see him sent packing. But Khan, accused of war crimes by independent groups, including Human Rights Watch, was said by Karzai aides to be on track to remain in the post.

The lineup could still change. A senior official said the list was being floated in part to see what kind of reaction it would draw. The new Cabinet will also need to win parliamentary confirmation.

laura.king@latimes.com

Special correspondent M. Karim Faiez contributed to this report.