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Karzai to be Sworn in for Second Term as Afghan President


Afghan President Hamid Karzai will be sworn in for a second term Thursday, even as the West has increased pressure on him to fight corruption and improve government accountability.

The capital, Kabul, is under tight security for the inauguration that will be held on the heavily-guarded grounds of the presidential palace in the presence of foreign dignitaries and Afghan leaders.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Kabul Wednesday, saying the start of Mr. Karzai's new five-year term represents a "window of opportunity" for Afghan leaders to make a "new compact" with their people.

Also Wednesday, U.S. President Barack Obama said he will announce his highly anticipated decision on U.S. strategy in Afghanistan over the next several weeks. He said the strategy will put the United States and its allies on a path toward winning the war.

During her visit, Secretary Clinton also reaffirmed U.S. support for Afghanistan, where she met with U.S. embassy officials and the top military commander for U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan, Stanley McChrystal.

In Berlin Wednesday, Germany's cabinet decided to extend by one year the mandate for its Afghan military mission. There are about 4,000 German troops serving in Afghanistan, the third largest contingent of foreign troops behind the United States and Britain.

NATO officials said Wednesday that they will meet in December to decide about troop levels in Afghanistan. A NATO spokesman said their decision will depend on President Obama's decision on whether to commit additional U.S. soldiers.

In violence Wednesday, a member of the British Royal Military Police was killed during a gun battle in southern Helmand province.

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