Afghan president under pressure over election fraud rulings

Sunday 18th October, 06:49 AM JST

KABUL —

Afghanistan’s election crisis deepened Saturday as President Hamid Karzai resisted international pressure to accept fraud rulings that could force him into a runoff with his main challenger.

Three more American service members were reported killed in separate bombings as the U.S. and its international partners sought a way out of Afghanistan’s political impasse, a crisis that threatens the legitimacy of the Afghan government and the future of the U.S.-led military mission.

A U.N.-backed panel had been expected to release findings Saturday from its investigation into allegations of widespread fraud—most of it favoring Karzai—in the Aug 20 election. Preliminary figures showed Karzai won with more than 54% of the vote.

Still, Karzai could face a runoff with his chief rival, Abdullah Abdullah, if the complaints panel invalidates enough ballots to push the incumbent’s total below 50%.

Announcement of the commission’s findings was delayed as commission members spent Saturday in meetings with Afghan election officials and double-checking calculations, according to people familiar with the talks.

Karzai has refused to commit to accepting the panel’s findings before they’re released, even though his campaign staff has expressed confidence that the president will remain above 50%, eliminating the need for a runoff.

Karzai’s stand has raised concern that he may challenge the findings, further delaying proclamation of a winner or the scheduling a runoff.

Afghan law declares the U.N.-dominated Electoral Complaints Commission the final arbiter on fraud allegations. However, Karzai supporters on the separate Independent Election Commission, which must order a runoff, have argued that the partial recount is beyond the normal complaint process and that the U.N.-backed panel does not have the final say.

A second round of balloting must be held before the coming of winter, which traditionally begins in mid-November. Once heavy snows fall in the mountain passes, a runoff would have to wait until spring, leaving the country in political limbo for months as the Taliban gains strength.

Fearing the political crisis will worsen, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown have telephoned both Karzai and Abdullah in recent days to express concern over the impasse.

French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner; U.S. Sen John Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and former U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan, Zalmay Khalilzad, were all in Kabul on Saturday for talks with Afghan leaders.

Kerry told the candidates “about the need for a legitimate outcome,” according to a U.S. Embassy official who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

In taped remarks for broadcast Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Kerry said it would be irresponsible for the U.S. to consider sending additional troops to the region to achieve a mission of “good governance” when the Afghan election is not yet finished.

A statement by the French Foreign Ministry said Kouchner traveled to Kabul “in the context of tension” brought on by the disputed election and urged all parties “to respect” the review process in the interest of the country.

At the same time, envoys were urging both candidates to strike a power-sharing deal to avoid a potentially divisive and costly second vote.

Officials familiar with the talks say the two sides are far apart on details, and it was unclear whether a power-sharing deal would be constitutional. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because the issue is sensitive.

“They want us to establish a strong government, a coalition government,” said Mohamed Mohin Murstal, a member of parliament and a Karzai supporter. “Karzai has agreed that after the announcement of the results, he will give the opportunity for all political personalities to be involved in government—but not before.”

Karzai’s campaign spokesman, Waheed Omar, said the president is “not going to compromise the results of the elections into any sort of political deal.”

Abdullah’s campaign manager, Satar Murad, said his team was focused on finalizing the election and “we’re not going to respond until we have that.”

The political crisis coincides with a sharp rise in fighting.

A NATO statement said two U.S. troops died Friday in a bombing in eastern Afghanistan. A third U.S. service member died the same day in a bombing in the south.

Their deaths bring to 28 the number of American service members killed in Afghanistan this month, according to an Associated Press count.

___

Associated Press Writers Rahim Faiez and Todd Pitman contributed to this report.

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12 Comments

smithinjapan at 01:37 PM JST - 18th October

Did anyone believe this loser would do anything else? As has been said, the man is former Taliban, and as corrupt as anyone else.
Midnightpromise at 03:33 PM JST - 18th October

Aren't fixed elections the new rave?
rajakumar at 03:51 PM JST - 18th October

Cut the crap,do the run off .
SushiSake3 at 07:39 PM JST - 18th October

President Hamid Karzai is yet another Bush screw-up that the GOP would rather we all forget about.
yabits at 08:02 PM JST - 18th October

On CSpan2 yesterday, two Americans who spent a lot of time in Afghanistan in the 1970s and 1980s co-authored a book titled: Invisible History: Afghanistan's Untold Story.

What I didn't know was how the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 owed a great deal to the machinations of Zbigniew Brzezinski, who wanted payback for Vietnam by drawing the Soviets into a quagmire of their own. The Soviets finally pulled out in 1989 and collapsed soon after.

www.invisiblehistory.com

Karzai is an oil man, put in power to help achieve the grandiose dreams of the American oil men at the top of the U.S. government from 2001-2009.
seijichuudo9sha at 08:08 PM JST - 18th October

from yabits "Karzai is an oil man, put in power to help achieve the grandiose dreams of the American oil men at the top of the U.S. government from 2001-2009."

Dont leave us hanging, my brother.What are teh specifics? What companies pull the strings?Who got the oil?We need to name some names.
yabits at 09:27 PM JST - 18th October

What companies pull the strings?

Anyone who believes that there are not heads of major energy/infrastructure companies and banks (Halliburton, Bechtel, etc.) who don't play an active role in influencing events in places like Afghanistan should not be taken seriously on anything.

John Perkins lays out the M.O. in Confessions of an Economic Hit Man.
seijichuudo9sha at 10:05 PM JST - 18th October

from yabits "Anyone who believes that there are not heads of major energy/infrastructure companies and banks (Halliburton, Bechtel, etc.) who don't play an active role in influencing events in places like Afghanistan should not be taken seriously on anything."

But isnt that like saying if we are still in Iraq and Afghanistan those same evil corporate people are now working on President Obama. In fact, since Gitmo is still open and bushie boy's Patriot Act still basically in place they have gotten to Barack and Nancy and Harry. I dont know about you, but I cant bear the thought.
yabits at 12:56 AM JST - 19th October

But isnt that like saying if we are still in Iraq and Afghanistan those same evil corporate people are now working on President Obama.

It's more like you are trying to imply that because Obama's in office, those who have used their power and influence throughout the past six decades to bring us to this point have thrown in the towel and ceased all their activities. Far from it.

Many of the companies involved regularly provide cover for agents of "the Company." And Karzai himself has worked closely with the CIA on several occasions. There's a close symbiotic relationship with companies like Bechtel, the CIA, and conservative/neo-consvervative policy think tanks.

The moment Obama opens his eyes and starts to focus on the real enemy within the United States, the more likely it is that he will end up like Roldos of Ecuador or Torrijos of Panama.
adaydream at 03:47 AM JST - 19th October

The leaders who originally were put into power by the US in both Iraq and Afghanistan have both been mistakes. But someday, someday far...far away they might actually have legitimate elections. And leaders not dominated by criminal backgrounds and family members.

I think this next election will be a little more legitimate just due to the public eye on it. Karzi will be gone this next election. < :-)
yabits at 06:53 AM JST - 19th October

The leaders who originally were put into power by the US in both Iraq and Afghanistan have both been mistakes.

That would include Saddam Hussein, who, like Karzai, had connections to the CIA. Americans don't know and don't want to know that, before Hussein, Iraq had a leader by the name of Abdul Qassim -- who overthrew the British-installed king. Qassim wanted, like other leaders overthrown by the CIA, to nationalize the revenues from the nation's natural resources. The CIA contracted, among others, a young man by the name of Saddam Hussein to assassinate Qassim.

This goes far deeper than the difference between Democrats and Republicans.
rajakumar at 06:52 PM JST - 19th October

The future Afghanistan and Afghan leadership need improvements.

US and CIA role in afghanistan,has not done much just changed leaders from anti-west Taliban Mullah Omar to pro west Hamid Karzai.

Same like in VIetnam war,plenty of bombings only,now and nothing much of progress for Afghans.

Moscow olympics in 1980 was boycotted because of Afghanistan fall to soviet influence.

With afghanistan more under west,is this big rise of name of US/US allies over Soviet in afghanistan.

It is just making another nation, pro-west in leadership from anti-west/pro soviet club.