Rather than spend the last three years of his tenure clashing with Afghanistan's president, American officials would be better advised to act now to groom a strong and dynamic successor - someone who will be able to consolidate the security gains that foreign and Afghan troops should have consolidated by 2014. (Unless, that is, President Obama orders premature and excessive troop pullouts this summer.)
The model should be what happened in the Philippines in the 1950s. Edward Lansdale, the legendary "Quiet American," was sent as a CIA counterinsurgency adviser to help Philippine forces defeat the Communist uprising known as the Huk Rebellion. His most important act was to groom a lawmaker and former anti-Japanese guerrilla named Ramon Magsaysay. Lansdale used his clout in Washington and Manila - and his access to secret CIA cash - to get Magsaysay appointed defense minister in 1950. Then Lansdale practically became Magsaysay's campaign manager, helping him get elected president of the Philippines in 1953.
Magsaysay turned out to be hard-working and incorruptible - a far cry from the weak and dishonest politicians he replaced. His reforms, such as holding honest elections and weeding out dishonest cops and soldiers, helped undercut support for the Huks.
Afghanistan could use a Magsaysay today. But we won't get one by decrying Mr. Karzai. New Ambassador Ryan Crocker needs to emulate Lansdale and work to ensure that someone more statesmanlike succeeds the incumbent president.
