Is The Afghan government worth fighting for ? - The Doha Debate

This House believes this Afghan government is not worth fighting for

The Arab world showed itself sharply divided over foreign military intervention in Afghanistan with a narrow majority believing its corrupt government is not worth fighting for.

In one of the closest Doha Debates, now in their sixth series, the audience voted 51% to 49% in favour of the motion: "This House believes this Afghan Government is not worth fighting for."

Backers of the motion suggested last August's fraudulent Presidential election results combined with what is perceived to be a deeply corrupt government rendered Kabul unworthy of international military support.

Speaking for the motion Peter Galbraith, former Deputy UN Envoy to Afghanistan, said that a government as corrupt as that of Hamid Karzai "does not merit support."

Fired from his post after accusing the head of the UN mission of concealing election fraud last summer, Mr Galbraith said that for the US-led counter-insurgency campaign to work "they need a credible partner".

"A government that is ineffective and in office through fraud cannot work. If foreign troops cannot complete their mission with a reliable partner, they should abandon their mission."

Mirwais Yasini, who came fifth in last summer's Presidential elections, said Afghanistan was being controlled by a "failed government" and that the deals which Mr Karzai had to make with various factions in the country "went beyond the limits of democracy."

Speaking against the motion Lawrence Korb, a senior US defence adviser, argued that despite electoral fraud, the vast majority of Afghans believe their government is on the right track, according to recent opinion polls.