tagged w/ Abdullah Abdullah
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Evidence is mounting that fraud in Afghanistan’s latest parliamentary election was so widespread that it could affect the results in a third of provinces, calling into question the credibility of a vote that was an important test of the American and Afghan effort to build a stable and legitimate government.Evidence is mounting that fraud in Afghanistan’s latest parliamentary election... more
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An exciting couple of days in Afghan election news. After a nail-biting few weeks of recounts, this weekend the challenger Abdullah Abdullah dropped out of the race. Meaning that President Karzai would keep his job for another term.
So, good news right? Now Afghanistan has an uncontested President? Well unfortunately the whole point of the recount was to ensure validity for whomever ended up the victor. And with Abdullah dropping out because “transparent election is not possible” it doesn't seem to lend a lot of credibility to Karzai's win. But don't tell the US, which was already very quick to congratulate Karzai on his win.
The challenges facing stabilizing efforts in Afghanistan unfortunately seem to keep growing with time. I finally had the chance to watch "Obama's War" from Frontline this weekend, and I highly recommend it. It gives you a real sense of the challenges on the ground in Afghanistan's provinces and in Kabul working with Karzai's government. All of the warlords and possible drug smugglers he's surrounded himself with still seem to be around - will the US need to boost legitimacy in spite of Afghanistan's elected President?
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- The Tamil Tigers and innovations in IEDsAn exciting couple of days in Afghan election news. After a nail-biting few weeks of... more
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The numbers came back and Hamid Karzai, after you adjust for fraud, didn't quite make the over 50% he needed to keep his Presidential win without a run-off.
From Voice of America:
President Karzai says he welcomes the decision by the country's Independent Election Commission to hold a second round of voting on November 7 between himself and top challenger, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah.
Now, this doesn't mean Karzai won't win again. He may be able to secure a majority without rigging the vote. Or Abdullah Abdullah could come out on top. The real challenge will be to tamp down the flagrant fraud so that Afghanistan's President, whichever of the candidates it might end up being, actually has some legitimacy.
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- Obama marijuana policy – What’s next?The numbers came back and Hamid Karzai, after you adjust for fraud, didn't quite... more
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Or so said some American and Afghani officials today. Afghanistan's current president Hamid Karzai just won an election that's been decried as fraudulent. But the rules allow for a runoff election between the top two candidates if the results are not conclusive.
From the Wall Street Journal:
Either outcome carries perils. An outright Karzai victory could enrage Dr. Abdullah's supporters, trigger protests and further undermine the legitimacy of Mr. Karzai's government in the eyes of the Afghan public.
But authorities also could have a tough battle proving that results of a runoff are legitimate. The harsh winter months are imminent, and could make it hard for voting to proceed. Election officials will have to find ways to mitigate fraud in the second round, a major challenge in a country where security conditions are too poor in many areas for monitors to observe the polling.
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- Sarkozy to Gordon Brown: No HomoOr so said some American and Afghani officials today. Afghanistan's current... more
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Afghanistan announced this past week that their country has postponed parliamentary elections because of a lack of funds. The announcement, five months after the presidential election descended into a ballot-stuffing farce, will deepen global concern that graft and logistical problems are undermining democracy in one of the world's poorest and most corrupt nations.Afghanistan announced this past week that their country has postponed parliamentary... more
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After an electoral victory tainted by allegations of rampant fraud, corruption and voter intimidation, Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai used the occasion of his inauguration to announce that US troops would hand over security over the next five years. For everyday Afghan citizens interviewed by international news media, Karzai’s message was, to say the least, disheartening.After an electoral victory tainted by allegations of rampant fraud, corruption and... more
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This past week in Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai began his second term after an election riddled with widespread fraud. At his inauguration, Karzai sat between US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Abdul Rashid Dostum, the Afghan warlord who's become a symbol of cronyism and government corruption. Dostum was stripped of his top military post after he was accused of war crimes and investigated for enacting vigilante justice on the streets of Kabul.This past week in Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai began his second term after an... more
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Yo, Current: Just http://InTheLoopShow.net, celebrating the news of the week, as always. This time it's the "election" of Hamid Karzai in Afghanistan. Plus a three-point bonus for creative use of hand-sanitizer. New lyrics by Jeff Horwich. From the podcast "In The Loop."Yo, Current: Just http://InTheLoopShow.net, celebrating the news of the week, as... more
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Afghanistan's election commission Tuesday ordered a Nov. 7 runoff in the disputed presidential poll after a fraud investigation dropped incumbent Hamid Karzai's votes below 50 percent of the total. Karzai accepted the finding and agreed to a second-round vote.Afghanistan's election commission Tuesday ordered a Nov. 7 runoff in the disputed... more
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