God and circumstance put him in the position of power in the turbulent Afghan political scene. Beginning from a low rank of a refugee and a Mujahidin offical, The Bonn meeting elevated him to the position of the leader of a post-Taleban administration in Afghanistan. He managed, with the help of the international community and the US and UN forces to lead the country during an interim period and later a transitional administration. This period would remain in Afghan history as a huge political milestone on the road to the establishment of a democratic system for government in the war torn country. Two Loya Jirgas were held during this period. Both gave him reason to cling to power. The first one elected him to lead the period of transition and the second one adopted a constitution which was heavily influenced by him giving the president huge powers. And finally, the Afghan nation in droves, in millions, on October 9, 2004 voted him in as the country's first ever elected president. His mandate confirmed for a period of five years, he is expected to perform miraculously to dress the wounds of the nation, unify the country, start the process of reconstruction in earnest, ignite the engine of economic productivity, provide the nation with educational and health services, build the dilapidated infrastructure and play the role normally assigned to benevolent kings. Furthermore, the nation wants him to reestablish and reassess the country's position in the region and to regain its status as an independent and free nation among the nations of the world. None of the above is easy.

Karzai has time, five years ahead of him to address the problems of the nation. The nation, on the other hand, has no time. The nation wanted him to begin his job in earnest early morning of October 10, 2004. The little baby dying for want of medicine, the young child waiting to go to school, the young adult seeking employment, the young men and women in search of economic independence, the elderly in want of alleviation of their miseries, the homeless in want of shelter, the hungry in need of food, the bare in need of clothing, a whole nation in need of security, do not have five years, not even five days.

It is now more than one month past the election. The president of Afghanistan, perhaps in a state of post election euphoria, perhaps in many dilemmas in political arena of the country, or just in need of help, has failed to pronounce his cabinet. The nation is kept busy speculating over an unofficial list that has surfaced allegedly from the office of the first vice-president about who will be at the helm of the many ministries during this most important phase in the life of the country. Many also understand the enormity of the problems faced by the newly elected president of a nation that has seen much misery, much divisionism, and too much interference in its affairs by regional and international communities.

There are others who would like to see the positions go to highly educated technocrats rather than militia or militia influenced political appointees. Many Afghans were given to believe that the best technician who is an expert in his area of specialty would make the best of administrators. Therefore, they thought that a physician who has a sure knife on the operation table, or a research scientist who performed at top-level at his laboratory could become super-ministers. Others say: " Wrong. The surgeon is needed as a surgeon and the research worker as a research scientist and there is no guarantee that they perform as best ministers." A minister needs to be experienced in administration, a generalist in his or her field, a friend of the people he serves and someone who understands the people's needs, a team player among his cabinet colleagues. A cabinet minister should have a full grasp of the social and political powers in play in the community at home and in the world abroad. He should have a vision that would be based on the welfare of the people he serves. He should be true to the values of human rights, human dignity and the overall welfare of the nation. He should be void of discrimination in all its forms and manifestations.

There is much to be done in Afghanistan and for the Afghans and there is so little time to do it. The president may have five years; the nation cannot spare five minutes. So they would like to say: "Hurry up Mr. President." 11/20/04