It seems hard to imagine, but Afghanistan opposition leader Abdullah Abdullah’s political bloc is predicting major gains in the final tally of this weekend’s parliamentary votes, claiming that they may double their seat count based on preliminary data.
Abdullah came in a distant second in last year’s failed presidential vote, but after the revelation of millions of fraudlent votes cast for President Hamid Karzai a second round was scheduled. That election never took place, however, as Karzai refused to change any of the election laws and Abdullah dropped out in protest.
Saturday’s election seems to have been more of the same, with the Independent Election Commission trying to cover up an embarrassingly low turnout while reports continued to emerge from across the nation of election officially openly stuffing ballots on behalf of the ruling faction.
Violence, fraud and a dismal turnout might be embarrassing in most countries, but Western officials were quick to congratulate Afghanistan on the “success” of their vote, suggesting the bar is so low that anything short of a giant hole swallowing up the entire nation on Saturday would’ve been ‘good enough’ for many.
Eight more US soldiers were reported killed at the DOD site today in addition to the three reported over the weekend. Which war are you reporting on? You do not have one story or headline concerning these casualties. You merely mimic the evasive reporting of the mainstream media. All these bull stories about elections. We know there can be no real elections with this corrupt government and hundreds of thousands of foreign troops. Just how many dead US soldiers are needed for you and the corporate media to report what is going on?
17 Nato soldiers killed in two days in Afghanistan. Let's report on the individual battle deaths throughout the country in addition to the one time big events like this helicopter crash. Want this war to end? Let the American people know about the near constant stream of dead US soldiers as we loose this ridiculous war.
How predictable. This "election" was supposed to be "bad", as — of course — it would strenghten the despised, disobedient Karzai. The last "election" was "bad" as the puppet who ran against him lost — predictably. When the bad Karzai did not blink, and did not take Trojan horse Abdullah into the government, by opting for a runoff? What then? Well, let Abdullah give up. Now, he is baaack. With all votes from his family, and adding those who expect to be rewarded (this would not be corruption, of course), he cannot make a dent in elections. But, here is the solution! Iranian solution. All he has to scream that he won, and the "election" results will be in turmoil. It is all about getting rid of Karzai, the ungrateful. What elections can you have in an occupied country rulled by puppets put there by the occupier? The bad puppet just refuses to go, that is all. In the meantime, soldiers are dying, while this circus of make-believe elections is costing us money!