Clinton made her first visit as secretary of state to attend the swearing-in of Karzai, the veteran leader who takes office today for a second full term as president with his reputation in tatters after an election marred by fraud.
The capital was already under heavy security a day ahead of the ceremony, with roads sealed off by Afghan troops. The government has declared Thursday a holiday and advised citizens to stay off the streets.
Western officials hope Karzai will use his keynote speech at the inauguration to outline reforms that will help restore his credibility both in Afghanistan and abroad.
“There is now a clear window of opportunity for President Karzai and his government to make a new compact with the people of Afghanistan, to demonstrate clearly that you’re going to have accountability and tangible results that will improve the lives of the people,” Clinton told staff at the U.S. embassy in Kabul.
Her visit was the most senior by a member of the Obama administration, which has so far kept Karzai at arm’s length.
She met General Stanley McChrystal, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, whose request for tens of thousands of extra troops Obama is still considering. She was due to have dinner with Karzai at his sprawling palace later on Wednesday.
In an interview with CNN, Obama said he would announce the results of his long-awaited review soon. It would include an exit strategy to avoid “a multi-year occupation that won’t serve the interests of the United States”, he said.
“The American people will have a lot of clarity about what we’re doing, how we’re going to succeed, how much this thing is going to cost, what kind of burden does this place on our young men and women in uniform and, most importantly, what’s the end game on this thing,” he said.
