Karzai pulls a fast one

Most observers had been operating under the impression that Afghanistan’s next election date was fixed: this year’s presidential vote is scheduled for Aug. 20. But Karzai, exploiting apparent ambiguity in the troubled nation’s constitution, is now expected to call a snap election for April 21. Western diplomats reportedly think it’s a bad idea. But Karzai may be a desperate man--his international prestige shrinking, his domestic opposition growing.

The Times