Off target? Or just hooked up to the wrong administration in DC?

Friday prayers in many Afghan communities yesterday witnessed a rising wave of hostility among Afghan religious, tribal and political leaders towards the Bush administration’s conduct of the war against the Taliban and al Qaeda.

Though focused primarily on alleged instances of civilian deaths and injuries due to U.S. and NATO combat operations, it is evident, even here in Kabul, that much of the public rancour stems from heightening frustrations with the lacklustre performance of the Western-backed Karzai administration.

The U.S. military is the most tangible presence of American support for the beleaguered president, and so inevitably suffers backlash to White House policies on Afghanistan. Increasingly over recent years, these have been typified by inertia and aimlessness, the result of Washington’s distraction by the war in Iraq.

While President Karzai himself has attempted to distance himself from what Pentagon war planners refer to as “collateral damage,” he is widely criticized in the capital for his increasing isolation and detachment.

Scandals continue to discredit his regime. In response, virtually the only concrete legislative and law enforcement initiative currently underway is the attempt by his ministers to choke down hard on the country’s vibrant young news media.

Monday on skyreporter.com, as we begin a new series of film reports – Afghan journalists fight back, insisting that revealing cases of official corruption and incompetence is their professional, and national, duty.