Who Killed Ahmed Wali Karzai?

The Taliban is taking credit for assassinating the Afghan president's powerful brother. But a personal feud seems more likely.

BY MATTHIEU AIKINS | JULY 12, 2011

His death leaves a massive hole in the fabric of Kandahari power politics and shows how dangerous a strategy of relying on individual power brokers can be. Ahmed Wali was the linchpin of the Loya Kandahar pro-Karzai network, a pan-tribal alliance brought together by money and mutual security that included figures like Aref Noorzai, Agha Lalai Dastagiri, Fazluddin Agha, and the current chief of police, Brig. Gen. Abdul Raziq.

There is now no clear successor to Ahmed Wali, and certainly no one can combine his vast influence and closeness to the president. Any figure other than a Popalzai might upset the delicate balance between the pro-government elements of Kandahar's various tribes, and so his two brothers, Qayum and Shah Wali, are seen as potential candidates who could step into the role of the president's power broker in the south.

There was also speculation, in my conversations with Kandahari politicians, that this might open the door for Gul Agha Sherzai, a former governor of Kandahar, to return. Sherzai represents the Barakzai tribe, and his considerably rivalry with Ahmed Wali in the early years eventually led him to be pushed out to the consolation prize of Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan. Yet relations between Sherzai and the president are said to have improved in recent years, and Sherzai has also earned respect among internationals for his steady-handed, if rather venal, handling of his bailiwick, a key territory bordering Pakistan.

For now, Kandahar is tense and bracing itself for future fallout. Ahmed Wali was never popular in Kandahar among the ordinary locals. Street vendors and schoolteachers alike would blame him for the criminality and corruption that have only grown since 2001. But the Kandahari friends I've spoken with since his death have shown no joy, only apprehension for what the future might bring.

"The city is locked down; there are checkpoints everywhere and helicopters overhead," said one. "We are afraid of what will happen next."

BANARAS KHAN/AFP/Getty Images

 

Matthieu Aikins is a freelance journalist living in Kabul who writes for Harper's and other publications. You can follow him on Twitter at @mattaikins.

AFGHANGOOD

1:03 AM ET

July 13, 2011

Whacked!

The death of one of the most powerful men in the country shows how fragile and weak the central government truly is. No one can truly be trusted in this country, and that can be a very dangerous thing, considering that mistrust will lead to a bullet to the head or a suicide bomber. Afghanistan needs to be handled at a very safe distant, but we want to get mixed in the muck at the knee deep level. Most of the locals I’ve encounter don’t give a darn about democracy and “western” freedoms, other than the money flow that is. I say pick some “winners” and let the sort it out.

 

KETAB2K

2:08 AM ET

July 13, 2011

here is an opportunity to bring stability to Afghanistan

As an ordinary Kandahari guy I salute the person who pulled the trigger on this warlord, corrupted , criminal , internationally recognized Drug Dealer and looter once in for all. This was the wish of every kandahari person who was not from Karzi’s Family. He was the source of all miseries for the entire southern Afghanistan.
President Obama, here is an advice that can probably secure your second term:
Kandahar is the ground Zero for anything that happens in Afghanistan, you stabilize Kandahar you win the whole country, ask anyone in the Former USSR army who served in Afghanistan. they will confirm that.
Ordinary Kandahries loved Gul Agha Sherzai, he was pushed out by Karzi’s out of Kandahar because he wouldn’t play by their rules. That is why people loved him amongst everything else he did for the people in the short period when he was Kandahar’s governor.
If he become the governor again , he will win every Kandahari’s heart, that will translate to the elimination of the source that was feeding the Taliban movement……….the rest is history

 

KANDAHAR

5:18 PM ET

July 14, 2011

to Ketab2k

Ketab2k you are a sick man with no Knowledge of Afghanistan or afghan people.

Ahmad wali karzi was a true afghan who loved peace and his people but always a victim of bad politics.

His death will bring so many problem . He had the power and wisdom to rule afghanistan.
We loved him, May allah bless his soul

 

POLITICALAGENDA

1:11 PM ET

July 13, 2011

Not a big loss lets hope does not help Taliban

Not a nice guy and given that endemic corruption seems to be as serious a threat to stability as the Taliban is it really such a bad thing. Less good is that the Taliban are ttying the credit for it - they could really do with a victory so I hope FP are right and someone else steps or is pushed forward as the real culptit. Personally I think it is small beer and by Christmas we will have forgotten who Ahmed Wali Karzai is. It will really help though if his replacement is not another shoe in for teh president and is significantly less corrupt and less aligned with drug interests

 

SHAAMYL77

2:22 PM ET

July 13, 2011

Collaborators !!!

It was sad that AWK was killed in cold blood, and no one has the right to do so.

"Several reports have noted AWK's increasing collaboration with international forces over the past six months, a notion starkly contradicted by his past public image when he was widely disparaged as a criminal vampire taking advantage of a beleaguered Afghan political system".

http://afpak.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/0713/the_problem_wasnt_just_awk#comment-700737

Well, look who is talking to all sort of criminals to get their skin saved, from whatever and whoever he is.

This shows the desperation in ISAF and the US, and increasing signs of their visible defeat.

This is what you get after spending trillions of dollars and thousands of lives...victory nowhere in sight.

YES, AMERICA HAS WON ALL THE WARS BUT IN MEDIA............

And strange, no comments from DotHeads with Wesatern names against Pakistan or ISI or Pakistan Military!!!!!!!