Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, a candidate in the upcoming Afghan presidential elections, has said that he would oust foreign troops from Afghanistan if elected, according to a Pashtu daily.
‘‘If elected, I would oust foreign troops from Afghanistan and concentrate on strengthening the Afghan forces,’’ he said.
According to a report in the Pashtu-language newspaper Wrazpanra Wahdat, the presidential candidate said that he would also replace the presidential system of government with a parliamentary system.
In a presidential system, the head of government is elected directly by voters, while in a parliamentary system, elected lawmakers elect the head of government, who is usually leader of the largest political party.
Dr. Abdullah also criticized President Hamid Karzai, accusing him of having failed to stop the killing of civilians by U.S. forces during anti-Taliban operations in Afghanistan.
Source: Wrazpanra Wahdat, Pakistan, July 2, 2009
