Q+A - Karzai faces wall of U.S. pressure to govern better

By Sue Pleming

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Re-elected Afghan President Hamid Karzai will confront a wall of pressure from the Obama administration in his next term if he wants to sustain U.S. support.

Karzai's victory was expected but the way it unfolded and questions over his credibility undermine President Barack Obama's ability to sell his strategy overhaul for the war in Afghanistan to an increasingly skeptical U.S. public.

Afghan election officials declared Karzai president for another five-year term after scrapping an election run-off following the withdrawal of his only rival, Abdullah Abdullah, who doubted the credibility of the election process.

Experts say what counts from now on is how Karzai chooses to govern and if he shows willingness to tackle corruption and deliver services to a population embittered by eight years of war and doubtful of their leader's capacity.

If Karzai fails to perform, the repercussions will be felt not only domestically but also in the United States, where questions will mount over the logic of devoting scarce U.S. resources to propping up a government elected on a tide of fraud and vote-rigging.

IS IT BETTER OR WORSE THAT THE RUN-OFF WAS CANCELED?

U.S. officials have said repeatedly the election cycle should be allowed to run its course but privately many are relieved that Abdullah pulled out and a second round was avoided.