Karzai sworn in, vows to fight corruption

The role of international troops will be gradually reduced and limited to support and training of Afghan forces.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai was sworn in for a second term on Thursday, winning Western praise as he promised to combat corruption, bring security and reach out to political rivals.

Karzai took the oath of office as the US-led war in Afghanistan stretches into a ninth year, leaving record numbers of soldiers and civilians dead and with Taliban control extending deeper into the country after an election mired in fraud.

In a wide-ranging speech, he promised action on the worst problems that preoccupy his Western backers, who are weary after pouring more than 100,000 troops and billions of dollars of aid into Afghanistan with little in return.

- We are determined that within the next five years the Afghan forces are capable of taking the lead in ensuring security and stability across the country.

- The role of international troops will be gradually reduced and limited to support and training of Afghan forces - he said.

Bombers killed two US soldiers and 10 Afghan civilians in separate attacks in southern Afghanistan, part of Karzai's ethnic Pashtun heartland, underscoring the virulence of the Taliban-led insurgency.

Karzai vowed to call a meeting of political, tribal and community leaders from across the country's social spectrum to bring peace -- pledging action on corruption, drugs, unemployment and reconciliation.

- We will call Afghanistan's traditional loya jirga and make every possible effort to ensure peace in our country - he said, calling on Taliban - not directly linked to international terrorism to return to their homeland. -

Addressing endemic official graft in a speech delivered before an audience of visiting foreign ministers, including US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, he said - Corruption is a dangerous problem. -

- We will soon organise a conference in Kabul to organise new and effective ways to combat this problem - said the 51-year-old Karzai, wearing a traditional hat and colourful cape.

To many Afghans, Karzai's presidency lacks legitimacy, his government lacks authority and the way in which he took the presidency lacks credibility.

Washington has increasingly expressed concern about Karzai's reliability as a US ally and effective head of state, urging his government to eradicate corruption to counter an intensifying Taliban-led insurgency.

However he won praise from Clinton on Thursday for his promises of a fresh effort to clean up government.

- President Karzai's inaugural address provides an important new starting point and we intend to build on it - she said.

- He was particularly strong on the steps that he intends to take regarding corruption - she said, adding it - set forth an agenda for change and reform. -

- So many brave Americans are serving here because we believe that we can make progress - she said.

- We are under no illusions about the difficulties of this mission. The road ahead is fraught with challenges and imperfect choices. Setbacks are inevitable and we have to be realistic about what we can achieve. -

The United States and NATO have little choice but to work with Karzai as they have 100,000 soldiers fighting the Taliban and are deciding whether to dispatch tens of thousands of extra troops in a last-ditch push to win the war.

President Barack Obama has said his decision on strengthening the US deployment is close and that he will soon unveil a war strategy review.

NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen called for an "inclusive" and "accountable" administration in which "corruption has no place".

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, whose country is the second largest contributor of troops after the United States, welcomed Karzai's swearing-in, but now wants to see him - deliver for all Afghans - a spokesman said.

Karzai, who has built his presidential style on forging politically expedient alliances in the absence of strong institutions, reached out to chief rival Abdullah Abdullah and fellow presidential hopeful Ashraf Ghani.

But Abdullah, who has vowed not to work with Karzai, said the president had been installed by "an illegal decision" and could not meet expectations.

Karzai was declared re-elected on November 2 by his own officials after a UN-backed commission found nearly a third of votes cast for him on August 20 were fraudulent and his challenger Abdullah abandoned a run-off.