Afghan capital readies for Karzai inauguration

Karzai will be sworn in for his second five-year term Thursday, with many in the international community hoping he will introduce solid reforms and pave the way for a Cabinet house-cleaning to rid the administration of corrupt officials.

The inauguration comes amid repeated calls and threats from the international community that he reform his government following an election so spoiled by fraud that it took two and half months to resolve.

The U.S. has said that is will not provide any civilian aid to the Afghan government unless it can ensure accountability for the money. Both the U.S. and other NATO countries have also said they are weighing the rampant government corruption and mismanagement in decisions over committing more troops.

Even the ceremony itself is fraught with potential danger. Dignitaries from 42 countries are scheduled to attend, and the event could be a target for militants eager to attack the president and his allies.

There will be no large public ceremony. Instead, the inauguration will be held inside the presidential palace with tight restrictions on who is allowed in. Since an assassination attempt on Karzai at a public parade in 2008, he has stayed away from large public appearances.

The government has declared Thursday a national holiday and has asked the public to stay home to minimize traffic on the capital's clogged roads, while regular flights to and from Kabul airport will be canceled for the day.

The inauguration comes as the reputation of the Karzai government has sunk to new lows. Though dogged by corruption for years, the government was seen as particularly tainted by the August presidential vote and the rampant ballot-box stuffing that took place.

Meanwhile, security and Taliban forces continue to clash in the volatile regions. In the latest violence, a U.S. service member was killed when his vehicle hit a bomb in the south of the country, NATO forces said.

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