In the meanwhile ministers engaged to raise finances on their own. This resulted in the growth of opium cultivation, which now accounts for 72 per cent of world opium supply. Corruption led to the expansion of commanders pockets at the cost of a failing civil society.

The elections which were held in 2004 serves only to indicate that the power of the warlords was not something the Afghan infant state could take on. Karzai appointed chief warlords to prominent positions prior to the elections in order to ensure free and democratic elections — in which he was once again named president.

Worsening conditions paved the way for the re-emergence of the Taliban. Elections are to be held in the coming year. Karzai’s position is in jeopardy; further, the electoral process itself is in jeopardy. The Taliban are once again threatening the security of the system, and international players have realised the changing realities. The Afghanistan Compact, which succeeds the Bonn Agreement, acknowledges this. The emphasis of the Afghan Compact is on reconstruction. More aid has been pledged — $10.5 billion. But the situation is now no longer as finite as a monetary donation.

alia.allana@expressindia.com