To begin his second term, Afghan President Hamid Karzai wants to retain a half-dozen key Cabinet officials who have been embraced by the international community, replace the heads of two ministries linked to corruption, yet keep on board a legendary warlord who holds political sway in the west, three officials in the Afghan government said Friday. Karzai has been working on his new Cabinet since even before he was sworn in Nov. 19 for another five years. The long-awaited list is seen as the first test of his willingness to assemble a team of reformists to respond to the international community's demand that he cleanse the government of corruption. Karzai's decision to keep a handful of key ministers in their posts appears to be a nod to the US and other nations sending troops and financial aid to Kabul. The officials said Karzai wants 12 of the 25 current ministers to stay on their jobs for now.
