Karzai opponent: Re-election was illegitimate

KABUL -- The challenger in Afghanistan's recent election called President Hamid Karzai's victory illegal and his government a failure, saying yesterday 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 challenge Karzai's victory in court but would leave it to the Afghan people to decide whether to accept Karzai as their legitimate leader for another five-year term.

The Afghan election commission proclaimed Karzai the victor of the country's tumultuous ballot Monday after Abdullah withdrew from a runoff race he said could not be free or fair. The decision ended a political crisis 2½ months after the first round of voting in August was marred by widespread fraud.

It was widely believed Karzai would have won the runoff vote, but Abdullah contended he was quitting not as a concession but because he couldn't trust the process. The Karzai-appointed election commission had rejected reforms for the runoff suggested by the U.N. and a list of conditions set forth by Abdullah's camp.

Abdullah appeared to be setting himself up as an opposition leader in a country where political parties are not strong and there never has been a vigorous political movement in opposition to the president.

Abdullah spoke a day after five British soldiers were killed in a shooting in southern Helmand province. Authorities said the attack was carried out by an Afghan police officer who opened fire on the British troops.

In Washington, the highest-ranking U.S. military officer said corruption is "endemic" in Afghanistan and must be addressed directly, including by the arrest of officials on the take. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Washington will be watching to see if Karzai follows through.

"You have to rid yourself of those who are corrupt. You have to actually arrest and prosecute them," Mullen said at the National Press Club. "You have to show those visible signs."