Karzai 'Wins Afghan Poll Majority'

[tekisui]

Source: Al Jazeera

Hamid Karzai has won 54.1 per cent of the vote in the race for the Afghan presidency - above the 50 per cent needed to avoid a run-off poll, partial results indicate.

The results, announced on Tuesday by the Independent Election Commission (IEC) with 91.6 per cent of polling stations tallied, gave Karzai's main rival Abdullah Abdullah 28.3 per cent of the vote.

The announcement came hours after a separate watchdog, the Electoral Complaints Commission, said it had found evidence of fraud in the election.

Al Jazeera's James Bays, reporting from Kabul, said: "If these results were to stand, that would mean this is all over - no second round and President Karzai is once again the president of Afghanistan.

"But things are not that simple."

more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/asia/2009/09/200998131445935378.html

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Who didn't see that coming? Karzai stole the election on the first round. Now, we will be protecting, defending and propping up an illegitimate leader.

[tekisui]

1. Big demonstrations could be coming in the next few days

(snip)

"But unfortunately all the people have become disappointed and it is not unrealistic to imagine that people might react angrily and that there can be protest and even bloodshed."

It is an opinion that is widely shared among Mr Abdullah's supporters.

'Deceived'


"It's their right, because Karzai has deceived them and they should fight for their rights," he said.

Although the Afghan government has already warned people to avoid violence and that any violent protests will be met decisively, there are concerns of potential protests and confrontation between Mr Abdullah's supporters and those of other leading candidates.

Many people in Afghanistan - and not just in the north - believe that if the defeated candidates cannot accept the final result and feel their complaints have not been dealt with properly, they could cause a big headache for the next government.

The authorities can hardly afford facing another front being opened against them in this up-to-now fairly peaceful part of the country, given the many challenges they already face.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8244875.stm

[truebrit71]

2. I am shocked, SHOCKED I tell you..who would have thought the Mayor of Kabul was this popular...

..:sarcasm:

[Spazito]

3. Afghan vote watchdog finds fraud, orders recounts

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan's mainly U.N.-appointed election watchdog said on Tuesday it had found "clear and convincing evidence of fraud" in last month's presidential election and ordered a partial recount.

The Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) said in a statement returns must be recounted and audited for any polling station where more than 600 votes, representing 100 percent of "expected" turnout, were cast.

They must also be recounted in any polling station where a candidate received more than 95 percent of the votes if more than 100 valid ballots were cast, the ECC said.

"In the course of its investigations, the ECC has found clear and convincing evidence of fraud in a number of polling stations," the ECC statement said.

more

http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSTRE58725D20090908?feedType=RSS&feedName=worldNews

[BuyingThyme]

4. Now?

[tekisui]

5. You're right. Still---

[uncstudent]

6. ...

I am expecting to see another election in Afghanistan. The elections must be fair and because of the numerous reports of voter fraud, it is only valid that there is another election.

[tekisui]

7. There should be a run-off election, at least.

But,I don't have much faith in that prospect. We'll see. I wouldn't be surprised if Afghan people took to the streets to protest Karzai's theft.

Welcome to DU, BTW. What do you study at Chapel Hill?

[TheKentuckian]

8. We can't even pick decent stooges and strong men anymore (nt)