Karzai declared elected president - Congratulations to Obama & Co

[waraich66]

Karzai declared elected president

The first round of the vote in August was marred by mass fraud
Hamid Karzai has been declared the elected president of Afghanistan by poll officials, after they scrapped the planned second round of the vote.

The Independent Election Commission announcement comes a day after Mr Karzai's sole challenger, Abdullah Abdullah, pulled out of the race.

Dr Abdullah, who had demanded key poll officials quit, said he did not think it would be a free and fair vote.

The first round of the vote, in August, was marred by mass electoral fraud.

"We declare Hamid Karzai, which [sic] got the majority of votes in the first round and [since] he is the only candidate for the second round... be declared as elected president of Afghanistan," said a spokesman for the Independent Election Commission in Monday's news conference.

He said the second round on 7 November was being scrapped to save money, and to prevent further setbacks which could damage Afghanistan politically and economically.

President Karzai had been the favourite to win the run-off after gaining more votes in the first round on 20 August.

One of the reasons for holding a deciding vote had been to try to restore some legitimacy to the election after the discredited first round.

Earlier on Monday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon visited Kabul and said Afghanistan's troubled election had been among "the most difficult the United Nations has ever supported".

The BBC's Lyse Doucet in Kabul says there has been intense discussion in recent days as to whether scrapping the second round would be constitutionally legal.

Some observers are saying Mr Karzai's legitimacy is also in question and asking whether his government can be effective, adds our correspondent.

It is Democracy or Imperialism ? lol

 

[PlanetWarrior]

Good news for India as well I guess. More consulates in Kabul

 

[devd]

Good news for India as well I guess. More consulates in Kabul

Happy days are here again.

 

[DemonHunter]

Good news for India as well I guess. More consulates in Kabul

Bhangra Time Chak lo rabb da naa leke good news for us!!!

 

[oceanx]

It sure is interesting to observe not 1, not 2 - but 3 NRIs in a row up and down for a perceived "advantage" to India.

I am starting to wonder whether the current dog-and-pony show in Kabul is to "democracy" what stitching up a hymen is to virginity.

But good to see our NRI friends gaga over the usual chastity.

Not a peep over alleged vote rigging; not a single word on whether the due process had been trampled; not even a feigned expression of concern over whether Afghan people's interest had been genuinely served. Wow, the NRIs here sure lead the way in expressing commitment to democracy indeed.

At least the d@mn CCP makes no pretension about being a "ho". There is something to be said about WYSIWIG - stitches or no stitches.

Next time I hear about the enthusiastic bragging of 70+% turnout in Kashmir, my mind will inevitably wander toward some 4-0 Vicryl with shiny stainless steel, and a lady in lithotomy position ...

Make no mistake - I hold no particular views on any "outcome" one way or another. We all abhor terrorism and death of innocents. But whether more "consulates" translate to more "targets" and more blood shed apparently is of no concerns to our "democracy"-conscious NRI friends.

See, I knew I came to the right place to learn.

 

[S-2]

"See, I knew I came to the right place to learn."

Shouldn't have needed lessons here. Abdullah could read the handwriting on the wall. Polls showed, electoral commission or no commission, that he'd lose.

Runoff election, correct? Opposition candidate ceded the results beforehand and the constitution makes clear the process. Abdullah refused to engage in negotiations for a power-sharing accord and, instead, pushed for elections.

Abdullah got what he wanted and then bailed. Bummer for him that the good doctor didn't think it through. Thankfully this shouldn't alter the PRC's commitment to extract precious metals from Afghanistan. Nope, no principled stand for freedom's sake from your lot.

Or maybe they just recognize what everybody else there does, incumbents hold lot of built-in advantages anywhere...

...Afghanistan included.

 

[oceanx]

... PRC's commitment to extract precious metals from Afghanistan. Nope, no principled stand for freedom's sake from your lot.

Come again what is "my lot", S-2? Could you elaborate? Wow lest I forget, your "born-in-the-USA" Joe the Plumber lot is holier than my naturalized Chinese Canadian lot?

BTW, freedom in the PRC would be a lot easier to achieve if it wasn't for the double-talking, two-faced neocon-Hageeist jingoists.

Ah right, what is that you say? Americans (the Joe Plumber brand of course) do all the fighting, Canadians do all the b!tching, and Chinese do all the digging ...

And Europeans do all the hiding, apparently. No?

Well I got news for you, Mr. Professional - you might think you are the "sung" hero - well, since the very first day wars have been won and lost by "unsung" heroes.

Would I give two hoots how much metal PRC or anyone else "extract" out of Afghan lands? Why, you know about connections I have that I myself don't?

 

[devd]

Probably Indian ambassador called the abdulla and pay him a handsome money for his rest of life and he withdraw from the election.

 

[Good Man John]

What's the difference? Afghanistan had always been anti-Pakistan (except under Taliban), would a different leader have made a difference?

 

[PlanetWarrior]

It sure is interesting to observe not 1, not 2 - but 3 NRIs in a row up and down for a perceived "advantage" to India.

I am starting to wonder whether the current dog-and-pony show in Kabul is to "democracy" what stitching up a hymen is to virginity.

But good to see our NRI friends gaga over the usual chastity.

Not a peep over alleged vote rigging; not a single word on whether the due process had been trampled; not even a feigned expression of concern over whether Afghan people's interest had been genuinely served. Wow, the NRIs here sure lead the way in expressing commitment to democracy indeed.

At least the d@mn CCP makes no pretension about being a "ho". There is something to be said about WYSIWIG - stitches or no stitches.

Next time I hear about the enthusiastic bragging of 70+% turnout in Kashmir, my mind will inevitably wander toward some 4-0 Vicryl with shiny stainless steel, and a lady in lithotomy position ...

Make no mistake - I hold no particular views on any "outcome" one way or another. We all abhor terrorism and death of innocents. But whether more "consulates" translate to more "targets" and more blood shed apparently is of no concerns to our "democracy"-conscious NRI friends.

See, I knew I came to the right place to learn.

If you are seeking a chance to bash India then you are indeed in the right place to "learn". Afghanistan is a sovereign nation which has adopted the due process of democracy. Abdullah opposed the incumbent president and mid way when he realised that he was on a lower footing he started making demands and allegations which were without substance. When allegations were made about President Bush winning the elections due to irregularity in Florida did the rest of the democratic world shun the USA? Nope I think not. In democracy there are bound to be successful and unsuccessful candidates in the voting mechanism. At times those who are unsuccessful will raise a hue and cry over the process. That is democracy. India and the Indians were not part of the process and we are expected to accept the allegations of rigging without any credible evidence? Offcourse to say that there were no irregularities in a new democracy like Afghanistan will be blinding oneself to the truth. What matters is the extent of the irregularities and how it influenced the outcome. That is for Mr Abdullah to investigate and prove. Not for India. The remaining banter about the consulates are not worth replying to. The risk is for India to take and as long as India conducts its business legally in Afghanistan then the number of consulates should be of no concern to anybody.

 

[TopCat]

What's the difference? Afghanistan had always been anti-Pakistan (except under Taliban), would a different leader have made a difference?

Why are they anti pakistan? Anything that PK do which goes against the interest of Afganistan?

 

[Ahmad]

If you are seeking a chance to bash India then you are indeed in the right place to "learn". Afghanistan is a sovereign nation which has adopted the due process of democracy. Abdullah opposed the incumbent president and mid way when he realised that he was on a lower footing he started making demands and allegations which were without substance. When allegations were made about President Bush winning the elections due to irregularity in Florida did the rest of the democratic world shun the USA? Nope I think not. In democracy there are bound to be successful and unsuccessful candidates in the voting mechanism. At times those who are unsuccessful will raise a hue and cry over the process. That is democracy. India and the Indians were not part of the process and we are expected to accept the allegations of rigging without any credible evidence? Offcourse to say that there were no irregularities in a new democracy like Afghanistan will be blinding oneself to the truth. What matters is the extent of the irregularities and how it influenced the outcome. That is for Mr Abdullah to investigate and prove. Not for India. The remaining banter about the consulates are not worth replying to. The risk is for India to take and as long as India conducts its business legally in Afghanistan then the number of consulates should be of no concern to anybody.

there were massive fraud in favour of karzai, idependant election comission and other ministers were acting heavily in favour of karzai which was unconstitutional itself. the UN observor's deputy was sacked because he was revealling the true extent of fraud which was alot higher than announced. that is irrelavant if abdullah had how much vote, but he was demanding to have a free and fair eclection and independing comission not favouring any of the candidates, the balot boxes were stuffed with balot papers in large numbers and favouring one candidate, having the same people lookkng after in the second round, what would be the gaurantee that the second round woudnt be fair than the first one? that was his demand which was not met, i think he had a point. the hell with both karzai and abdullah i am not in favour of any of them, but karzai did alot of damages to afghanistan and its people in this election.

 

[deathfromabove]

Karzai is ‘corrupt’ but ‘our guy’: French FM

PARIS: President Hamid Karzai is ‘corrupt’ but Nato has to accept that ‘he is our guy’ in Afghanistan, French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said, according to the New York Times on Thursday.

Kouchner also complained that President Barack Obama's US administration was drawing up a new strategy for the war in Afghanistan without consulting its European allies within Nato, leaving them in the dark.

‘What is the goal? What is the road? And in the name of what?’ Kouchner asked, according to the New York Times report. ‘Where are the Americans? It begins to be a problem ... We need to talk to each other as allies.’

Karzai was named president for his second term on Monday after a chaotic election in which the first round results were marred by massive fraud and the second round abandoned after his main opponent dropped out in disgust.

Nevertheless, Kouchner said the allies had no choice but to work with him in order to get the mission in Afghanistan back on track and start building a state capable of protecting its people and holding of the Taliban.

‘Karzai is corrupt, OK,’ he said, according to the Times. ‘We have to legitimise him.’

France has given Karzai a nine-point plan it feels will help him reform his government and has urged him to find a way to work with his bitter defeated election rival, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah.

Kouchner's frank comments came amid intense debate — opponents call it ‘dithering’ — within the Obama administration about a new strategy for Afghanistan, where Taliban militants are gaining ground.

US commander General Stanley McChrystal wants 40,000 extra troops to pursue a counterinsurgency strategy and secure population centres, while some other officials want a smaller force to train Afghans and for anti-terror missions.

Kouchner complained that Europe, which has 35,000 troops from various Nato members in Afghanistan fighting under a wide variety of different rules of engagement, had not been properly involved in the Washington debate.

But rather than blaming Obama, he said ‘we need to speak as Europe as Americans’, according to the report. ‘In Europe we are acting and fighting and going to war, but we are not talking to each other and it's shameful.’

DAWN.COM | World | Karzai is ?corrupt? but ?our guy?: French FM

 

[oceanx]

US puts its faith in Pakistan's military
By Syed Saleem Shahzad

ISLAMABAD - Abdullah Abdullah, who this week withdrew from the presidential election runoff in Afghanistan, thereby handing victory to the incumbent, Hamid Karzai, did so under pressure from the United States, Asia Times Online has learned.

In exchange for the pullout of the non-Pashtun Abdullah, Pakistan's military has agreed to actively mediate between Washington and the Taliban over a reconciliation plan that will allow the US to exit from Afghanistan, as it is doing in Iraq, with a semblance of success.

A senior Pakistani diplomat involved in backchannel negotiations on Pakistan, Afghanistan and US relations told Asia Times Online on the condition of anonymity that the deal over Abdullah, whom Islamabad considers to be pro-India, was made during the three-day visit to Pakistan last week of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

...

 

[Super Falcon]

indian israeli and american beloved karzai won but he will not last long for sure becoze he won by american votes not with afghani people votes