Hamid Karzai apparently has won an overwhelming victory in Aghanistan’s first presidential election, avoiding a run-off, unless some dubious voter fraud challenges succeed. He was already by acclamation (mine anyway) the world’s best dressed political leader. Have a look at him next to the frumpy Gerhard Schroeder in the photograph accompanying the link.
(Apropos the discussion below of leaders with high IQs, I suspect Karzai has one. Ditto Allawi.)
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He certainly has a good color sense. And the hat certainly adds flavor.
But Roger, people from the Middle East don’t need democracy, they need stability.
Some guy from Massachusetts running for political office told me that…
Funny you should mention this Roger, the media in general seem oddly indifferent.
Karzai is very sexy. I wouldn’t kick him out of bed.
And he’s a good leader too.
Here is an interesting excerpt from a book by Robert D. Kaplan about meeting Karzai:
http://faroutliers.blogspot.com/2004/10/hamid-karzai-at-age-30.html
Gerhard’s going to throw a snit when he hears he’s been called frumpy. Just this year he was about to sue a paper for implying that his hair color’s not “all natural”.
Now, a question for the casting department: Ben Kingsley as Karzai, or perhaps the very sexy Patrick Stewart? Hmm.
Back in 2002 (seems like a long time ago) when the media were still paying attention to Afghanistan, Karzai was quite the matinee idol. I confess to having had a serious crush on him. I happen to think he looks–and sounds, even though this may seem improbable–a great deal like Sean Connery.
If you had told me back then that he would even be ALIVE today, much less the elected leader of Afghanistan, I would have been amazed. But now that things are better there (a fact which might actually be seen by some as reflecting positively on Bush), the media no longer considers him particularly newsworthy.
And yet he’s still awfully dapper, not to mention cute. I read somewhere that his sartorial splendor is not without meaning–his outfit includes elements that reflect all factions in Afghanistan. He usually wears Western clothes underneath, and the caftan (or whatever it’s called) is the traditional garb of one group, while the hat is the native costume of some other group.
What a guy!!
He also has the best choice of hats.
As the Democrats continue to preemptively attempt to undermine the legitimacy of a Bush win, with zero regard for the long-term effects on our society, it’s worth keeping in mind the real heros of the Afghan election — the opposition candidates who agreed to accept the outcome instead of using the ink problem as a pretext to reject it.
Terry McAuliffe, Jimmy Carter, Eddie Bernice Jones and the rest should look and be ashamed.
While we watch the Afghan opposition to Karzai graciously step aside for what is obviously best for the Afghan people, whatever their particular grievances re election irregularities (and admittedly I haven’t followed these details closely) – and while we simultaneously hope that the Iraqi elections will result in a reasonable amount of support for that outcome (recognizing that support for the outcome in many ways practically supercedes the grievances of the losing party) – can we hope for the same at home? In other words can we graciously follow the Afghan example and thereby set an example for Iraq in January? If we expect these tribal societies to accept an imperfect outcome for the greater good (and you know that that is indeed what we hope for) – is it reasonable to inquire whether we have the same guts here? Isn’t it really about setting aside ego for the greater good? Our own test is coming……..
Otter – you’re mighty confident – but should your prediction about a Bush win prove wrong – and especially should it be wrong due to some suspected irregularities on the Democrats’ side – (and the evidence is admittedly mounting there) -where will you stand with regard to accepting the legitimacy of a Kerry win? That is the question.
Caroline:
1) I’m not making any prediction and am not sure where you got that. (Right now, I’d put odds at 60% Bush, 40% Kerry.)
2) If Republicans tried to delegitimize a clear Kerry win over the “suspected irregularities” you mention, I would be as disgusted with them as I am now with the Democrats.