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Canwest News Service
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Afghan leader Hamid Karzai was sworn in for his second term as president today, pledging to fight corruption and take full control of the country's security within five years.
There has been guarded support from the United States and NATO allies fighting the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan to Karzai's inauguration pledges after a fraud-marred election and doubts about his capacity to deliver on his promises.
U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, who attended the swearing in ceremony in Kabul, warned Karzai that future American aid for civilian development would depend on how well his government performed in combating corruption and training an effective army and police force.
British foreign secretary David Miliband, also in Kabul, said he believes Karzai understands it is time to deliver on his promises.
But Karzai's main challenger in the controversial August 20 election, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah, said there was nothing new in the president's inauguration address.
"He has spoken in these terms — in terms of bringing changes and reform, and fighting corruption, and bringing security and reconciliation — for the last eight years, and the situation has worsened," Abdullah said.
Kabul was like a ghost town during the inauguration. Police closed down all streets and ordered citizens to stay at home.
But in southern Afghanistan two American soldiers were killed by a car bomb and a suicide bomber wearing an explosive vest killed 10 people in a crowded market.
There are about 110,000 foreign troops, mostly from NATO countries, in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban insurgency. Among those are 68,000 Americans and president Barack Obama will soon announce his response to recommendations from his generals that another 40,000 American troops be deployed.
In his speech Karzai said he would try to restore security and reintegrate Taliban insurgents into the country's political life by calling a traditional council of tribal leaders, a loya jirga. All Taliban leaders not directly involved in terrorism would be welcome to take part, he said.
But a Taliban spokesman said this invitation has no meaning because Karzai became president through fraud and lies.
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