KABUL - A round of suicide bombings in the northern Panshjer Valley of Afghanistan over the weekend drew little notice in a country saturated by violence, but to former Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah it was ominous confirmation that the Taliban is targeting those who might oppose it after America leaves.

The Saturday attacks were against Afghan army reconstruction teams in the northern part of the country. In Abdullah's assessment, the attacks, which failed to kill soldiers, illustrated the kinds of targets increasingly focused on by the Taliban in a effort to wear down their once and future enemies in the country's Northern Alliance. At stake, he said, is whether the infant democratic institutions set up under the protection of American troops can survive their departure slated for 2014.

"The Islamic Republic of Afghanistan represents the majority will in this Muslim country — the will of the people in voting, general elections and many things which come with it," he said. "And the Islamic Emirate, which is the Taliban, want an emir. They have no boundaries, the whole world is their territory and anybody who believes in this ideology is a Talib, whether it is an American Talib, British Talib, all of them are called Taliban and the terrorists from all around the world are part of it. So the battle is between the two."

Abdullah, 51, is a medical doctor who was a friend and adviser to legendary Afghan leader Ahmed Shah Massoud's insurgency against the Soviets. He served as Afghanistan's foreign minister from 2001 until 2005. In 2009 Abdullah ran as an independent candidate in the Afghan presidential election, coming in second in an election that many observers said was tainted by widespread fraud.
He remains a leading voice of opposition to President Hamid Karzai.

Abdullah said he is considering the possibility of running again in 2014. "One thing I'm sure about is that I'll be active, and I have a role in the politics in this country and I will not slow down. Two and half years from now ... that decision will be made."

Abdullah was openly skeptical of reports that Karzai would not seek a third term in 2014 — which would require a change in the country's fledgling constitution.

"[Karzai] will not pack up and leave," Abdullah said. "He will dig his feet in. He will use everything in his hands, in his power, in order to extend his term. That's my belief in spite of the fact that he has promised to many people that he is not a candidate, in spite of the fact that he has said it publicly that he is not a candidate. But knowing him I would say that he will use all those things in his hands to stay in power beyond 2014."

Karzai is preparing to hold a LoyaJirga next month, a grand assembly of influential leaders from ethnic tribes, which Abdullah said he will use to secure support to hold power after American troops withdraw.
Abdullah says by holding the traditional grand council Karzai is signaling that democratic institutions are transitory in Afghanistan.

"The problem is that President Karzai rather than strengthening the institutions or the rule of law he is resorting to the old methods," Abdullah said. "Why do we need traditional LoyaJirga? We have two houses of the parliament, plus the provincial council. Why do we go to the LoyaJirga, which is a rubber-stamp gathering that overrules Kabul."

Abdullah has held himself up as the democratic alternative in Afghanistan, and said keeping democracy strong in Afghanistan is crucial to combating Islamic extremism in Pakistan as well.
"Saving the democratic process is key, because this is the fate of the majority of the people," he said. "Unless Pakistan changes their policies there should be no support from the U.S. — there is no other way to win this war." (Agencies)