Afghanistan's parliament rejected 17 of President Hamid Karzai's 24 Cabinet nominees Saturday, votes that came at a crucial point in his fight against corruption and his quest for legitimacy in the eyes of both his nation and the world.

Karzai presented the Afghan parliament with 23 of the 24 nominees on December 19. Another nominee was named later.

Eleven of the nominees were ministers from Karzai's current administration, including Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak and Interior Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar. The nominations of Wardak and Atmar were among the seven that were approved. Their jobs are considered to be key in building up Afghan security forces in preparation for the withdrawal of American troops. FULL POST