Here's hoping for the best at Afghans hit the polls for the the first time in far too long.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3727878.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3727878.stm
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Afghanistan Votes
- Thread starter xarir
- Start date
Contrary to the glowing reports last night about fair and free elections in Afganistan, today it was reported in the European press, that 17 out of the 18 candidates for president are boycotting the election. Only the sitting interim president is supporting it.
Supposedly, one of the reasons for the boycot is that the ink used to mark people who have cast a vote, easily can be washed off.
Supposedly, one of the reasons for the boycot is that the ink used to mark people who have cast a vote, easily can be washed off.
Sigh ...
Well I guess it was hoping for too much that these elections would go smoothly ...
Farook Wardak, head of the election commission, has turned up to investigate the reports of faulty ink - used to mark voters' thumbs to prevent multiple ballots.
"Look," it can be rubbed off," cries one voter as Mr Wardak is surrounded.
"They're using the wrong pen," groans Mr Wardak as he reaches for his mobile phone. "They're using markers."
Voting is suspended temporarily while the problem is sorted out.
"It shouldn't be a problem," says another of the election heads, Reg Austin. "The identity cards are punched so they cannot be produced again." But there have been concerns that many voters have multiple identity cards which means they could quite easily vote more than once.
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Fifteen candidates have issued a joint statement saying the election should be suspended because of the use of ink at polling stations. They also talk of other irregularities across the country.
Among those signing up to the statement are Younis Qanuni and General Abdul Rashid Dostum, the two most important challengers to president Hamid Karzai.
But the ink issue is something which emerged this morning when voters demonstrated that the ink could be scrubbed off. We know that there are many Afghans out there with more than one voter registration card.
But for now the election organisers have said polling will continue.
Well I guess it was hoping for too much that these elections would go smoothly ...
Farook Wardak, head of the election commission, has turned up to investigate the reports of faulty ink - used to mark voters' thumbs to prevent multiple ballots.
"Look," it can be rubbed off," cries one voter as Mr Wardak is surrounded.
"They're using the wrong pen," groans Mr Wardak as he reaches for his mobile phone. "They're using markers."
Voting is suspended temporarily while the problem is sorted out.
"It shouldn't be a problem," says another of the election heads, Reg Austin. "The identity cards are punched so they cannot be produced again." But there have been concerns that many voters have multiple identity cards which means they could quite easily vote more than once.
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Fifteen candidates have issued a joint statement saying the election should be suspended because of the use of ink at polling stations. They also talk of other irregularities across the country.
Among those signing up to the statement are Younis Qanuni and General Abdul Rashid Dostum, the two most important challengers to president Hamid Karzai.
But the ink issue is something which emerged this morning when voters demonstrated that the ink could be scrubbed off. We know that there are many Afghans out there with more than one voter registration card.
But for now the election organisers have said polling will continue.
No one yet. The UN is investigating "alleged irregularities" in the Afghan elections. All allegations of voter fraud need to be submitted to a UN panel by Wed. This means that ballot counting, which should have happened by now, cannot start until after Wed. Regardless of ballot counting, it seems likely that the election winner won't be announced until after the UN panel has finished its investigation which will likely take 2 - 3 weeks.
In the meantime, I supposed Hamid Karzai is still in charge over there.
In the meantime, I supposed Hamid Karzai is still in charge over there.
Old news guys. The candidates have dropped their opposition to the election. It went smoothly and was considered a rousing success by the citizens of Afghanistan...
There will be an independ investigation into the "wrong ink scandal" but the opposition to the election has been dropped and the Afghanis are moving on...
There will be an independ investigation into the "wrong ink scandal" but the opposition to the election has been dropped and the Afghanis are moving on...
..ocean, optimism is usually a good thing but not when it clouds the truth, Afghanistan is a mess and it would ptrobably take a couple of Trillion dollars to get it right, after 20 years of continual war. There is no way the US is serious about either Afghanistan or Iraq.
Gee imangine that. A country having the first free elections in its history. And the press paints it as a failure. I have to wonder if they are not just doing more BUSH BASHING as they have done so well for the past 42 months.
What are they going to do if Kerry wins???? Rewrite history and make it all his idea and claim success???????
What are they going to do if Kerry wins???? Rewrite history and make it all his idea and claim success???????
Gee, silly me for stating the facts that opposition to the vote was dropped and that the Afghanis are happy with the way the election went.assoholic said:..ocean, optimism is usually a good thing but not when it clouds the truth, Afghanistan is a mess and it would ptrobably take a couple of Trillion dollars to get it right, after 20 years of continual war. There is no way the US is serious about either Afghanistan or Iraq.
I didn't say the road ahead wasn't difficult. But the elections were a success. The people that say they weren't are lying. Its a long and difficult road, but why is there such a need to call a successful first step a disaster when it clearly wasn't?assoholic said:..whoppee, so now the path is certain to a great fututre eh ?, have you ever read any thing about Afghanistan ? if so you would have to agree to the difficult roads ahead.
Actually, the vote hasn't quite been decided yet. The opposition candidates have generally agreed to accept the verdict of the UN panel. This verdict will only become public after their investigation is finished which will likely take 2 - 3 weeks.
So the bottom line is that the Afghan vote is in limbo pending the results of a UN investigation.
So the bottom line is that the Afghan vote is in limbo pending the results of a UN investigation.
..the bottom line is one election is not going to overcome the fact that 95% of the country is controlled by warlords. That the country has long and deep Ethnic hatreds exct, exct. It will take Billions of dollars and years and years to rebuild Afghanistan. The US willl be out within a couple of years.
Its not "in limbo". The ballots in question have been separated from the other ballots. The Afghani people aren't demanding anything, its a few candidates and unless there's proof of widespread fraud the election will stand...xarir said:Actually, the vote hasn't quite been decided yet. The opposition candidates have generally agreed to accept the verdict of the UN panel. This verdict will only become public after their investigation is finished which will likely take 2 - 3 weeks.
So the bottom line is that the Afghan vote is in limbo pending the results of a UN investigation.
What a bunch of nonsense. Everyone knows its a long hard road, but of course the liberals can't stand to see a successful election for some reason and feel the need to piss on any good news from Afghanistan...assoholic said:..the bottom line is one election is not going to overcome the fact that 95% of the country is controlled by warlords. That the country has long and deep Ethnic hatreds exct, exct. It will take Billions of dollars and years and years to rebuild Afghanistan. The US willl be out within a couple of years.
