Karzai ally resigned over warlord ties

KABUL, Afghanistan, Sept. 30 (UPI) -- Afghan Interior Minister Ali Jalali resigned this week because of the growing influence of warlords on President Hamid Karzai, a report said Friday.

Karzai accepted the resignation of Jalali, a close ally and the second most powerful man in the government, Wednesday night, after praising him and wishing his success in his future academic career, the South China Morning Post reported.

Jalali spent much of his time dealing with warlords, many of whom were also opium traffickers. He reportedly was frustrated that Karzai felt he needed to court the warlords to maintain support in the provinces and to uphold his Islamic credentials.

Karzai's inability to block the participation of warlords in recent legislative elections was reportedly what drove Jalali to resign.

"People feel that if Mr. Jalali had to quit, then the government must be making some very serious mistakes in dealing with warlords and drug smugglers," the newspaper quoted political analyst Mohammad Musa Mahmodi as saying.

Jalali, a U.S. citizen since 1987 and former broadcaster for Voice of America, is expected to take up a research position at the National Defense University in Washington, D.C., the report said.