Afghan Elections

One pundit recently predicted that certain elements of the western media would crank up the 'Afghanistan's elections were a complete farce' rheotoric after the elections. And here we are...the election has had a few disputes about exactly 'how' democratic they were, but Karzai won in a landslide, and the political opponents of Karzai are dropping their claims of a 'boycott' of the elections and are calling on the UN (not Jimmy Carter) to rule on the election's 'fairness'.

Arms entwined, the chosen few
The newspapers says, says
Say it's true it's true...
And we can break through
Though torn in two
We can be one
--U2

Now let me tell you my own interpretation: This is one of the greatest accomplishments of the modern age. 3 years ago this country would be the last candidate for free, peaceful and successful elections. But now, the country was able to over-register (And people thought this was a bad thing) the electorate and managed a massive turnout on election day. Despite the 'presence' of Taliban and Al-Qaida forces, the whole thing went off without a hitch. "Where's the props?" is what I want to know. As the Afghani Rodney Dangerfield (RIP) would have said "I can't get no respect, I tell ya".

While people like Moore still go on about oil or some other alternative motive, Canada and the US have invested heavily (without monetary return) in this venture to see a peaceful country emerge. This is an accomplishment without compare and Karzai and the Afghans deserve some respect, money and props from the UN. My hope is that a democratic Afghanistan will lead the Iraqis to believe "Hey, this is possible..because if the Afghanis can do it, anybody can!"~~~ queue pipedream sequence...yeah, I'm an optimist

Here's the latest:

Afghan election hailed by world
From correspondents in Kabul
October 11, 2004

OPPOSITION claims of electoral fraud failed to dim international enthusiasm for Afghanistan's historic presidential elections yesterday, with world leaders welcoming the largely peaceful poll and massive voter turnout.

Local and international election monitors dismissed opposition calls for a new poll after it was found that the ink used to stain voters' fingers to ensure they cast only one ballot was easily washed off.

Fourteen of the 18 candidates running against US-appointed President Hamad Karzai said the ink controversy meant the vote was illegitimate. Some also alleged other irregularities, including voter intimidation.

But the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe said demands for new polls were "unjustified". The Free and Fair Elections Foundation of Afghanistan said a "fairly democratic environment has generally been observed in the overall majority of the polling centres".