During the press conference last week while lashing out at the US for playing "double game", President Karzai also attacked foreign media for a "psychological war" against Afghanistan. He said, "This is a psychological war by the Western media against Afghanistan: once the foreign troops pull out, Afghanistan will be poor, there will be civil war and the Taliban will return, etcetera". He particularly mentioned The New York Times, BBC and CNN. It's ironic that our President believes think tank reports such as the latest by International Crisis Group are tools of western countries to pressurize Kabul in their dealings.
The President said he had talked with Secretary Clinton. "I believe if the objective is to influence future agreements on the number of US military bases, the presence of US troops beyond 2014 - it can't achieve this through psychological war," he said. Well, it would be hard to say that think tank reports and media analysis in the West are not strategy of their governments or part of any "psychological war" but with the huge sacrifice of blood and money, their media outlets and research institutes in those constituencies have the right to question outcomes of a decade of engagement of their governments, or opine about concerns regarding Afghanistan.
As for as the psychological war is concerned, it is against whom? The war-torn Afghans? Why would BBC or CNN do such a campaign? Independent analysts are responsible for their opinion, not the media outlets they comment through.
The fiery comments about the ICG report were very reactionary and illogical. It was much more surprising when the President's spokesman admits that they have not yet seen the report. This confession comes while cursing ICG for the 'doom predictions', as phrased among the think-tank punditry. How could one condemn a report, without even seeing it? Our Senate went a step further when some of the members demanded ICG to apologize from the people of Afghanistan for the report. A senator said, "Although the organization asserts its independence, it's in no way autonomous. Linked to the US administration, the group has released the report to please the American authorities."
Unfortunately, it is still doubted that if that ICG report is read. It should be a must-read for all MPs. It would be rather great if someone could translate the report in Dari/Pashto and disseminate among public representatives and policy makers in Kabul. ICG might have arranged that.
The media coverage of such reports, the so-called 'doom predictions' are bit sensational. For instance, in local and foreign media most headlines about the ICG report went typically, "Afghanistan government will collapse after 2014 NATO withdrawal". With such sensational reporting, it cause panic in an atmosphere of utter uncertainty among ordinary Afghans about their future. Media need to focus with contextual reporting of such analytical predictions. Local press in particular should avoid sensationalism and attention-seeking headlines, because that's what many people see and rumor about, without paying serious attention to entire reports.
However, it does not mean reports such as the latest ICG one are part of any "psychological war". Actually it is the best narrative of our challenges regarding the institutional crisis and lack of constitutional clarity in the wake of coming power transition in 2014 and beyond. The doom predictions are actually to become true if the current Administration do not push for a radical reform in electoral laws and process legislation regarding the issues of elections. The ICG report is a mirror, and seeing ugly face, one does not seek to break it.
The report has some solid policy recommendations. The Government should launch an urgent action plan. Palace spokesman AimalFaizi was saying it is interference in Afghanistan's internal affairs. "We believe the report has particular political goals and agenda. It is to pave the ground for foreign meddling in the presidential ballot, due in 2014. The report continued no evidence that enabled its authors to justify their concerns," he said.
Actually there is nothing new in ICG report, apart from the fact that it has been presented in a good narrative. The electoral issues highlighted in the report have been a popular demand of opposition groups in Kabul. Recently the establishment of Cooperation Council of Political Parties and Alliances is particularly a union around issues of electoral reforms and challenges that have been addressed in detail in the ICG report.
The worst can happen if things do not go smooth in 2014, including the political transition and a free, fair and transparent President election. Electoral reform is inevitable.
Mandates of institutions should be clear with needed legislation. The constitution is unclear on roles of institutions such as the National Assembly, IEC, ECC and their administrative structures, appointment of its commissioners and approval or certification of poll results by President.
The fact that such an extreme reaction was not necessary against a simple report by a think-tank rather we should pay more attentions toward a transparent and stable power transition to ensure continuation of the current process.