by Wang Yan

    KABUL, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- Ever since the sitting Afghan President Hamid Karzai was announced the winner of the Aug. 20 presidential election on Nov. 2, the call by the United States and its allies for eradicating corruption in the next administration has never stopped.

    With Karzai's next cabinet expected to be formed in weeks, the verbal battle between western powers and Afghanistan has been escalating in recent days.

Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai speaks during a news conference in Kabul November 3, 2009 after winning the presidential polls.  (Xinhua/Reuters File Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    CRITICISM AND REFUTATION

    On Tuesday, Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta once again hit back on criticism by western powers, calling the countries playing "double-standard politics."

    "To say that our warlords are good and the warlords of Hamid Karzai are bad is dangerous politics," the Afghan foreign minister, according to media reports said after meeting visiting Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt in Kabul.

    One day earlier, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, after talks with German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle in Berlin, added on pressure on the embattled Afghan president, saying any commitment to Afghanistan "has to be met by an even greater commitment" of the new Karzai government to "root out corruption."

    This is not the first time for western countries to link assistance with the elimination of corruption in the new government. Last Thursday, UN special representative to Afghanistan Kai Eide joined a chorus of international criticism by warning that the Afghan government should not assume that they will have the support of international donors and troops if "it continues to accept corruption and welcome warlords into the administration."

    The comments by the top UN official in Afghanistan sparked a harshly worded weekend statement from the country's Foreign Ministry, which condemned such comments as "interfering in its national sovereignty."

    A Norwegian diplomat Eide, according to media reports is the first foreign dignitary to give instructions on how to get rid of corruption and warlords in the next Afghan government. A host of western political figures, including U.S. President Barak Obama and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, have urged Afghan government to take concrete measures to tackle corruption, but avoided giving instructions.

    In a phone call to congratulate Karzai on his re-election earlier this month, Obama said there would have to be "a much more serious effort to eradicate corruption" and that "the proof is not going to be in words, it's going to be in deeds."

    FOCUS ON "WARLORDS" IN CABINET

    In the face of intensive demand nad pressure by Washington and its international partners, Karzai pledged Sunday that there would be no place for corrupt officials in his new administration.

    "Individuals who are involved in corruption will have no place in the new government," said the embattled president during an interview.

    Analysts say that while Karzai is considering the formation of his future administration, the main concern over the issue between him and his western allies is not corruption, rather is "warlords"to whom Karzai is indebted during the election campaign will be admitted into the new cabinet.

    In other words, the corruption issue is important, but preventing the nomination of some "warlords" to key ministerial positions is of imminent significance to Washington and its allies.

    HARD CHOICE FOR KARZAI

    Despite mounting western pressure and his pledge to eradicate corruption, Karzai is believed to be reluctant in excluding certain influential figures from his new administration, due to his dependence on their support during the presidential campaign.

    Karzai is said to have made certain deals about some ministries in the next government to the powerful men, in exchange for support during election and their influence in certain ethnic groups and areas outside Kabul, according to media reports.

    Powerful figures, ethnic leaders and former warlords such as Abdul Rashid Dustam, Qasim Fahim, Mohammad Mohaqiq, Gul Agha Shirzai and many more, as media reported had backed Karzai during presidential polls which has led to his re-election.

    Now it is time for Karzai to fulfill his words or to balance between western countries' demand and his earlier promises.

    The western pressure on President Karzai is expected to yield limited results, due to his strong ties with these figures. The alliance with them is not only important during his presidential campaign, but also for the smooth operation of the future government.

    Some power brokers, according to media reports are so influential in Afghanistan that even U.S. and NATO military troops reportedly remain dependent on them for security around their fixed bases and protection of supply convoys.

    But the battle of words between Afghanistan and western countries over the corruption issue is certain to continue at least before Karzai's new cabinet is formally announced, with Washington and its partners advancing stricter requirements to eradicate "corruption," though, with which both sides are fiercely wrestling over some cabinet "nominations" for the time being.