Critics blast Karzai peace commission

September 29, 2010 at 12:00a.m.

McClatchy Newspapers

KABUL

Choking back tears and showing signs of stress, Afghan President Hamid Karzai made an emotional appeal for unity Tuesday before unveiling a peacemaking commission that includes longtime Taliban rivals, former warlords and suspected drug barons.

Human-rights activists immediately denounced the 70-member group, which also includes a handful of former Taliban officials, as unreliable negotiators.

Karzai’s new peace push comes as the U.S.-led international military coalition is stepping up its campaign to cripple the Taliban insurgency in its southern Afghanistan strongholds.

In recent weeks, Karzai has been buffeted by problems and under growing strains:

Federal officials in the U.S. reportedly are investigating his brother Mahmoud’s business dealings.

Afghanistan’s recent parliamentary election was marred by violence and fraud.

The Taliban-led insurgency remains a formidable force throughout the country.

The latest book by Washington Post associate editor Bob Woodward reports that Western leaders suspect that Karzai suffers from manic depression.

The stress was evident Tuesday when Karzai broke down as he discussed the future for his 4-year-old son during a nationally televised address meant to promote literacy.

In his speech, Karzai said he was afraid that his son would be forced to live in exile, as he was forced to do during the Taliban era.