President Hamid Karzai called Sunday on community leaders in Kandahar to support a NATO campaign to bolster security in this Taliban stronghold, urging people to work with his government to “bring dignity back.” NATO has already begun an operation to ramp up security in Kandahar, and the campaign is expected to accelerate the coming months. Many of the estimated half million Kandahar residents are skeptical of the operation, fearing it will lead to more bloodshed. During a meeting in a stuffy conference hall in Kandahar city, several hundred people including tribal chiefs and religious leaders cheered as Karzai denounced corruption among police and local powerbrokers. He pounded the podium as he said corruption was undermining security as his government and its international partners struggle to turn back a resurgent Taliban. The majority of the crowd stood and raised their hands as Karzai asked for their support. “Please give me your hand to bring dignity back,” Karzai said. He appealed again to the Taliban to lay down their weapons and reconcile with the US-backed government. “Step by step we can go forward,” he said. “Let's cooperate. Let's coordinate.” It was only Karzai's second visit in recent years to Kandahar, the biggest city in the south and the spiritual birthplace of the Taliban. US commanders believe control of Kandahar is the key to wresting the ethnic Pashtun south away from the Taliban, who have exploited public discontent with the central government to win broad support in the strategic region. Insurgents have responded to NATO plans with a rash of attacks against those who support the government and its international partners. So far this month, at least 39 international troops have been killed in Afghanistan, including 27 Americans. Six Afghan policemen and three NATO service members died Saturday in a roadside bomb blasts.
