Khalilzad leaving as U.N. ambassador

Well, eventually, according to the Afghan-born Zalmay Khalilzad, who claims that he has no interest in running for the presidency of Afghanistan but instead wants to go to into the private sector (how about a judge on the next season of "Afghan Star"?):

"'My decision is that I will resign from my official work in the next few months and start a private business,' Khalilzad told Afghanistan's Ariana Television Network in Dari, one the country's main languages. His comments were translated by The Associated Press.

Richard Grenell, Khalilzad's spokesman at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, said Khalilzad 'has no immediate plans to resign.'"

I'll always remember chatting with Khalilzad as he downed a chicken sandwich with gusto after landing in L.A. days after I had my wisdom teeth yanked, but I also know that the challenges faced at the U.N. may require someone with a little more, er, Bolton. Khalilzad danced around some questions and went light-n-easy on pretty straightforward topics, such as Syria's involvement in the assassination of Rafik Hariri. Honestly, I think he'd be a much better Afghan president than U.N. ambassador.