Afghanistan election result crisis

Written By: - Date published: 4:35 pm, October 17th, 2009 - 6 comments
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The Guardian reports today under the headline “Crisis looms in Kabul over Karzai election results:”

Frantic diplomacy under way as report looks set to give Afghan president less than 50% of the vote, forcing run-off.

Karzai’s share of the vote is expected to drop to below 50% as a result of the inquiry, forcing a run-off with his main rival, Abdullah Abdullah.

A western diplomat said that a report in Friday’s Washington Post claiming that Karzai’s share of the vote is set to fall from 55% to 47 far lower than expected had sparked a major political crisis in Kabul. “He is in total denial he genuinely does not accept the level of fraud. He believes it’s an American attempt to force him into a second round,” the diplomat said.

Remember this from  the DomPost last month:

There are also questions about the legitimacy of the Afghan Government after vote-rigging allegations against president Hamid Karzai, who claimed victory in recent elections despite a United Nations watchdog ordering a recount of up to 500,000 ballots.

“I think a growing number of people in New Zealand and elsewhere … are concerned that we would be sending our people to die for a regime that we don’t believe is an effective governor of Afghanistan,” Mr Goff said.

Mr Key acknowledged concerns about the elections, but said he did not seek advice on the issue before authorising the deployment.

He brushed off suggestions he should have waited for the final result to avoid any perception New Zealand was propping up an illegitimate government. “… we are supporting that administration as we seek to try and stabilise Afghanistan

Forget about National’s “no wurries” policy and the World Cup fiasco – this is serious mismanagement. There’s no need to call for Heather to come back from New York, we’ve got Phil Goff here already. At least he understands the issues and has a safe pair of hands.

6 comments on “Afghanistan election result crisis ”

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  1. sk 1
    17 October 2009 at 4:46 pm

    And from today’s Financial Times:

    “Afghan poll saga hits US troop plan

    The timing of Barack Obama’s much-awaited decision on how many new troops to send to Afghanistan has been thrown into further doubt amid mounting global speculation that Hamid Karzai, the Afghan president, may face a second round election run-off.

    White House officials said on Friday that no decision would be possible on troop numbers or on the broader Afghan strategy until the political uncertainty had been resolved. ”

    So right now, NZ stands as the last country to commit troops to Afghanistan, when ever country has bothered to read the intelligence, seen the trend, and is delaying.

    Oh, but that’s right. Our PM neither took advice or read the intelligence before committing troops.

  2. Ianmac 2
    17 October 2009 at 5:03 pm

    “He brushed off suggestions he should have waited for the final result …” Yes Mr Key. This smacks of a pattern with this administration…

    “What advice did the Minister (of Education, Social Welfare, Rugby World Cup, Foreign Affairs etc) seek before making this decision?

    I was given advice from lots and lotsa folks. Why only last night my Mum phoned me to tell me that….”

  3. Jim McDonald 3
    17 October 2009 at 7:01 pm

    Fresh and Ambitious? ‘Tis difficult to discern any such policy thinking from the new PM at the mo.

    NZ may be welcoming Spring but this Government seems so determined to take on autumnal hues.

  4. BLiP 4
    18 October 2009 at 2:13 am

    The only surprising thing about the election results in Afghanistan is that there is now open acknowledgement of the fraud. The fact that the election was rigged in the first place is hardly unexpected, especially considering the last time the US meddled in but largely allowed free elections in a “theatre of interest”.

    Seems a shame Kiwi troops are over there risking life and limb to further the interests of corporations – Labour are just as much to blame as National Ltd® on this one, I’m sorry to say.

  5. toad 5
    18 October 2009 at 3:34 pm

    Don’t you mean the “Afghanistanian” election results?

    As the nice Mr Key would say.

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