We have been told that Karzai received overwhelming support at the Loya Jirga in June. If that were thecase, why can't he muster a trustworthy Afghan entourage? (First of all, it isn't the case, actually; formerking Zahir Shah enjoyed wide support but was forced to withdraw his bid to become head of state by DefenseMinister and warlord Mohammed Fahim, whom a Western official quoted by the Washington Post has likenedto a "street thug," and U.S. special envoy and kingmaker Zalmay Khalilzad). The fact is that Karzai,having been placed in power by the U.S. as next-best-thing to the late CIA operative Abdul Haq, has reason tofear his own people. His "political base remains weak," notes the Washington Post (August 5),and his "authority barely extends beyond Kabul."