meddling in Afghanistan as well. He had a deep understanding of
the complexities of tribal politics (Karzai, 1988), but an ability to
work comfortably with non-Pushtun Afghans, and with the United
States, where members of his family had lived for many years. The
Vice-Chairmen included members of the different groups which
had taken part in the Bonn talks. One, Dr Sima Samar, was both a
woman and a Hazara, a major symbolic development given the
sufferings of women and Hazaras under the Taliban. But the influ-
ence of the United Front was obvious. General Fahim was one of
the Vice-Chairmen, and headed the Department of Defence.
Younos Qanuni headed the Department of the Interior, and Dr
Abdullah the Department of Foreign Affairs. Finance was headed
by Hedayat Amin Arsala, a former Foreign Minister and World
Bank official, Education by the well-known writer Abdul Rasul
Amin, and Public Health by Dr Sohaila Seddiqi, who had won
fame as both a surgeon and a general under a string of govern-
ments.
The UN Security Council on 20 December adopted Resolution
1386, which authorised the establishment of an International
Security Assistance Force (ISAF), with a ‘Chapter VII’ enforce-
ment mandate. It was not a ‘UN peacekeeping force’ under direct
UN authority, or even a ‘peacekeeping force’ designed to stabilise
a cease-fire through interposition, but – as its title suggested – a
security assistance force, to secure Kabul and assist the process of
developing a unified national army. Its expenses were to be met by
the participating member states. The lead in this respect was taken
by the United Kingdom, with Major-General John McColl as ISAF
Force Commander. Within a short space of time it became clear
that the force would be largely European.
The Interim Administration took office, as scheduled, at a digni-
fied ceremony in Kabul on 22 December attended by nearly 2000
men and women, with British Royal Marines patrolling outside. An
empty chair with Massoud’s photograph on it stood at the centre of
the stage. Around it sat numerous people whose lives had inter-
twined with his – Rabbani, Mojadiddi, Pir Gailani, Dostam,
Ambassador Brahimi – as well as General Tommy R. Franks, who
274 The Afghanistan Wars