Afghanistan...

[weaktwos]

You know, it's a crying shame, the complications in the Middle East. I wish I understood the people better. Opponents in the election are claiming voter fraud. They just don't seem to want democracy to work.

I'm not sure I understand the allegations here, either, especially since the votes seem to be so heavily in favor of the United States' backed Karzai. It's not like it's even close. How does anyone have time to manipulate 650,000 votes? Maybe the world of corruption is far more industrious than I thought.

Comments

Not so much in the middle east though...

[misterweasel.livejournal.com]

Afghanistan isn't so much "Middle East" as "Central Asia"...
And there was assuredly voter fraud going on, but this may be a case where the US will pretty much get what they want regardless. Karzai is probably the right choice, given the current choices available, and the election they just held is probably about as good as we could have hoped for... I think the best we can expect is that this experience will gradually lead Afghanistan towards something that we'd more easily identify as "democracy", but they've got a long way to go yet.

At least the corruption didn't result in some pissant warlord getting the reins, eh?

Re: Not so much in the middle east though...

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

My concern is that Karzai turns out to be a scoundrel like a handful of the other leaders our government has supported in the past like...uhhh...Saddam and Chalabi, and Noriega.

[imlac.livejournal.com]

Remember Saddam's "elections?" 99% turn out for Saddam? I don't know if there is voter fraud or not, but it certainly doesn't strain credulity.

"He who votes decides nothing. He who counts the votes decides everything."--Joseph Stallin.

[dangermouse74.livejournal.com]

they don't want democracy to work when they are warlords who are losing power and not getitng elected. they already came out before hand and said if the elections were held and Karzi (sp?) won they were going to cause problems and not accept it and claim fraud and all sorts of things.