Editing Hamid Karzai (section)

===2009 re-election and second term===
{{Further|2009 Afghan presidential election}}
On the eve of the presidential election on 20 August, Karzai seemed at once deeply unpopular but also likely to win the majority of the votes. He was blamed by many for the failures that plagued the reconstruction of Afghanistan after the toppling of the Taliban government in 2001, from the widespread corruption and the resurgence of the (neo-)Taliban to the explosion of the poppy trade. His unpopularity and the likelihood of his victory formed an atmosphere with a kind of national demoralization, which could discourage many Afghans from voting and dash hopes for substantial progress after the election.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/26/world/asia/26afghan.html "Afghan Leader Criticizes U.S. on Conduct of War"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211222833/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/26/world/asia/26afghan.html |date=11 December 2008 }}, ''The New York Times''</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/world/asia/08karzai.html "Leader of Afghanistan Finds Himself Hero No More"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160723110536/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/world/asia/08karzai.html |date=23 July 2016 }}, ''The New York Times''</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/25/world/asia/25karzai.html "Afghan Leader Outmaneuvers Election Rivals"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160723110549/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/25/world/asia/25karzai.html |date=23 July 2016 }}, ''The New York Times''</ref>

In this second presidential election, Karzai was announced to have received over 50% of the votes. The election was tainted by lack of security, low [[voter turnout]] and widespread [[ballot stuffing]], intimidation, and other [[electoral fraud]].<ref name="Afghan commission orders first ballots invalidated">{{cite web|last=McDonald |first=Charlotte |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i3xqZSi2U_mgENDm3TK0-yqI7I_g |title=Afghan commission orders first ballots invalidated |date=10 September 2009 |access-date=31 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413122433/https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i3xqZSi2U_mgENDm3TK0-yqI7I_g |archive-date=13 April 2010 }}</ref>

Two months later Karzai accepted calls for a [[2009 Afghan presidential election#November 7 run-off election|second round run-off vote]], which was scheduled for 7 November 2009.<ref name="Karzai Agrees to 7 Nov Runoff in Afghanistan">[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/world/asia/21afghan.html "Karzai Agrees to Nov.–7 Runoff in Afghanistan"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814193933/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/world/asia/21afghan.html |date=14 August 2018 }}, ''The New York Times''</ref><ref name="Hamid Karzai agrees to run-off amid fears of more violence and fraud">{{Cite news |last=Farmer |first=Ben |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/6389109/Hamid-Karzai-agrees-to-run-off-amid-fears-of-more-violence-and-fraud.html |title=Hamid Karzai agrees to run-off amid fears of more violence and fraud |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=UK |date=20 October 2009 |access-date=31 January 2010 |archive-date=3 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003013841/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/6389109/Hamid-Karzai-agrees-to-run-off-amid-fears-of-more-violence-and-fraud.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

During the runoff, he secured the support of influential power brokers, including the Ismailis in Afghanistan, represented locally by [[Sayed Mansur Naderi]]. Naderi facilitated two significant campaign rallies for him, one in Kayan, his birthplace, and another in the Kabul stadium. Both events attracted nearly a hundred thousand attendees, including men, women, and youths, demonstrating the support of the Afghan Ismailis for Hamid Karzai.<ref name="Karzai in Kayan">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/02/world/asia/02afghan.html|title=Karzai Campaigns in Remote Afghan Valley |work=[[The New York Times]]|date=August 2009 |accessdate=28 March 2024 |last1=Wafa |first1=Abdul Waheed }}</ref>

On 2 November 2009, Karzai's run-off opponent, [[Abdullah Abdullah]], withdrew from the race and election officials announced the cancellation of the [[Two-round system|run-off race]]. Karzai, the only remaining contender, was declared the winner a short time later.<ref name="Karzai Gets New Term as Afghan Runoff Is Scrapped">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/world/asia/03afghan.html|work=The New York Times|title=Obama Warns Karzai to Focus on Tackling Corruption|first1=Helene|last1=Cooper|first2=Jeff|last2=Zeleny|date=3 November 2009|access-date=4 May 2010|archive-date=11 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511225923/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/world/asia/03afghan.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Karzai presented his first list of 24 cabinet nominees to the Afghan parliament on 19 December 2009; however, on 2 January 2010, the parliament rejected 17 of these. According to the parliament, most of the nominees were rejected due to having been picked for reasons other than their competency. A member of parliament said that they had been picked largely based on "ethnicity or bribery or money".<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8437677.stm |title=Afghan MPs reject most Karzai cabinet nominees |publisher=BBC |date=2 January 2010 |access-date=2 January 2010 |archive-date=3 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100103052030/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8437677.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:2011 Afghan Independence Day-2.jpg|thumb|280px|Karzai at the 2011 [[Afghan Independence Day]] in Kabul, which is held every year on 19 August to commemorate Afghanistan's independence from [[British Raj|British]] control over its foreign affairs.]]

On 16 January 2010, the Afghan parliament rejected 10 of the Karzai's 17 replacement picks for the cabinet. MPs complained that Karzai's new choices were either not qualified for their posts or had close connections to Afghan warlords. Despite the second setback, by mid-January Karzai had 14 out of the 24 ministers confirmed, including the most powerful posts at foreign, defense and interior ministries.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8462916.stm|title=Afghan MPs reject many new Karzai cabinet nominees|publisher=BBC|date=16 January 2010|access-date=16 January 2010|archive-date=17 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117110410/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8462916.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> Shortly afterward, the parliament began its winter recess, lasting until 20 February, without waiting for Karzai to select additional names for his cabinet. The move not only extended the political uncertainty in the government but also dealt Karzai the embarrassment of appearing at the [[International Conference on Afghanistan London 2010|London Conference on Afghanistan]] with nearly half of his cabinet devoid of leaders.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8464283.stm|title=Afghan cabinet vote delayed|publisher=BBC|date=17 January 2010|access-date=17 January 2010|archive-date=20 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100120033829/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8464283.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Since late 2001 Karzai has been trying for peace in his country, going as far as pardoning militants that lay down weapons and join the rebuilding process. However, his offers were not accepted by the militant groups. In April 2007, Karzai acknowledged that he spoke to some militants about trying to bring peace in Afghanistan.<ref name="foxnews_Peace_Talks">{{Cite news |date=24 September 2007 |url=https://www.foxnews.com/story/afghan-president-karzai-admits-seeking-peace-talks-with-taliban |title=Afghan President Karzai Admits Seeking Peace Talks With Taliban |agency=Associated Press |access-date=11 May 2008 |quote=United Nations &nbsp;— Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Sunday his government is working very hard on peace talks with the Taliban that would draw the insurgents and their supporters 'back to the fold.' |publisher=Fox News |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080423121222/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297819,00.html?sPage=fnc%2Fworld%2Fafghanistan |archive-date=23 April 2008 |url-status=live }}</ref> He noted that the Afghan militants are always welcome in the country, although foreign insurgents are not.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna17980166 |title=Karzai admits meetings with Taliban&nbsp;— Afghanistan |publisher=NBC News |date=6 April 2007 |access-date=31 January 2010 |archive-date=1 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150901083549/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/17980166 |url-status=live }}</ref> In September 2007, Karzai again offered talks with militant fighters after a security scare forced him to end a commemoration speech.<ref name="reuters-Sep-9-2007">{{Cite news|date=9 September 2007|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-29427920070909|title=Afghanistan's Karzai urges Taliban talks after scare|publisher=reuters|access-date=11 December 2007|archive-date=18 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218014810/http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-29427920070909|url-status=dead}}</ref> Karzai left the event and was taken back to his palace, where he was due to meet visiting Latvian President [[Valdis Zatlers]]. After the meeting, the pair held a joint news conference, at which Karzai called for talks with his Taliban foes. "We don't have any formal negotiations with the Taliban. They don't have an address. Who do we talk to?" Karzai told reporters. He further stated: "If I can have a place where to send somebody to talk to, an authority that publicly says it is the Taliban authority, I will do it."<ref name="reuters-Sep-9-2007"/>

In December 2009 Karzai announced to move ahead with a [[Loya Jirga]] (large assembly) to discuss the [[Taliban insurgency]] in which the Taliban representatives would be invited to take part in this Jirga.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rferl.org/content/Karzai_To_Unveil_Afghan_Cabinet_In_Days/1896326.html |title=Karzai To Unveil Afghan Cabinet In Days |publisher=Rferl.org |date=6 December 2009 |access-date=31 January 2010 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303214451/http://www.rferl.org/content/Karzai_To_Unveil_Afghan_Cabinet_In_Days/1896326.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In January 2010, Karzai set the framework for dialogue with Taliban leaders when he called on the group's leadership to take part in the [[jirga]] to initiate peace talks. A Taliban spokesman declined to talk in detail about Karzai's offer and only said the militants would make a decision soon.<ref>{{Cite news |author1=Hamid Shalizi |author2=Abdul Malek |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60Q3IW20100129 |title=Taliban say no decision yet on Karzai offer of talks |work=Reuters |date=9 February 2009 |access-date=31 January 2010 |archive-date=22 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100522093538/http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60Q3IW20100129 |url-status=live }}</ref> In April 2010, Karzai urged Taliban insurgents to lay down their arms and air their grievances while visiting a violent northern province, adding that foreign forces would not leave the country as long as fighting continued.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/karzai-issues-open-invitation-to-meet-with-insurgents/|publisher=Fox News|title=Karzai Issues Open Invitation to Meet With Insurgents|date=11 April 2010|access-date=11 April 2010|archive-date=14 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414232636/http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/04/10/karzai-casts-doubt-major-kandahar-offensive/|url-status=live}}</ref> In July 2010, Karzai approved a plan intended to win over Taliban foot soldiers and low-level commanders.<ref>{{cite news |last=Oppel |first=Richard A. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/02/world/asia/02afghan.html |title=Karzai Approves Plan for Taliban Reintegration |location=Afghanistan |work=The New York Times |date=1 July 2010 |access-date=30 August 2011 |archive-date=13 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813054952/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/02/world/asia/02afghan.html |url-status=live}}</ref> In mid-August 2013, Attorney General [[Mohammad Ishaq Aloko]] was said to have been fired after meeting with Taliban officials in the U.A.E. after being told not to meet with them. However, unnamed senior cabinet officials tried to persuade Karzai to not fire him, while an official in Aloko's office denied the dismissal saying instead that he was at the Presidential Palace "celebrating Independence Day".<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2013/08/2013819125050729968.html |title=Afghan official 'fired' over Taliban talks – Central & South Asia |publisher=Al Jazeera English |date=19 August 2013 |access-date=22 March 2014 |archive-date=22 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130822035357/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2013/08/2013819125050729968.html |url-status=live }}</ref>