More Afghan Election Discord

by: Richard Allen Smith

Mon Oct 26, 2009 at 14:26:10 PM EDT


Afghan President Hamid Karzai's rival in the upcoming presidential runoff is demanding the dismissal of several Afghan election officials:

KABUL - Presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah demanded on Monday the firing of Afghanistan's Independent Election Commission (IEC) chief and suspension of three cabinet ministers ahead of a run-off poll.

Abdullah called for the "immediate dismissal" of Azizullah Ludin and his replacement with another member of the IEC, which critics slammed as biased in favour of President Hamid Karzai during fraud-tainted August elections.

A "close associate" of Abdullah and a "leading analyst" have predicted that Abdullah might pull out of the November 7th election if the officials are not sacked.  Karzai's people, of course, are currently denying the demand. This spells bad news for the prospect of a legitimate partner to work with in an Afghan counterinsurgency, and doesn't bode well for the conflict in general.

Richard Allen Smith :: More Afghan Election Discord
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It seems pretty clear that a classic counterinsurgency approach, (0.00 / 0)
is not going to work under the political, economic and security condiitions that currently exist in Afghanistan.

So, if we are convinced that some form of COIN operation is needed, then we had better get busy promoting and facilitating changes in those conditions. And, I'm afraid a run-off election - even one devoid of fraud and other complications - will have little to do with making these changes.

One thing is for sure...we are going to be involved in Afghanistan and the region in a very intimate way, in one form or another...for a very, very, very long time.


Women Among Warlords (0.00 / 0)
GRITtv with Laura Flanders ยป EVENT: WOMEN AMONG WARLORDS: Rebuilding Afghanistan

We hear a lot about women in Afghanistan, but their voices too often are silenced. On Tuesday, October 27, join GRITtv host Laura Flanders at CUNY's Center for Place, Culture and Politics with Afghan activists Malalai Joya, the first female Afghan parliamentarian, Awista Ayub and Nasrine Gross to discuss their work rebuilding their country.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009 at 3:00 PM
Skylight Room (9th floor)

If you can't make the event, don't miss our Tuesday show on Afghanistan, featuring Malalai Joya and Nasrine Gross, right here at 8 PM.



'Hearts and Minds, "The ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people who actually live there." -- President Lyndon Johnson

Sen John Kerry Slams Dick Cheney (0.00 / 0)
For Obama/Afghanistan Criticisms

Kerry's supposed to be on the PBS News Hour tonight, 10.26.09, to talk about Afghanistan!

'Hearts and Minds, "The ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people who actually live there." -- President Lyndon Johnson


U.S. official resigns over Afghan war (0.00 / 0)
Foreign Service officer and former Marine captain says he no longer knows why his nation is fighting

Snip

"I have lost understanding of and confidence in the strategic purposes of the United States' presence in Afghanistan," he wrote Sept. 10 in a four-page letter to the department's head of personnel. "I have doubts and reservations about our current strategy and planned future strategy, but my resignation is based not upon how we are pursuing this war, but why and to what end." ..>>>



'Hearts and Minds, "The ultimate victory will depend on the hearts and minds of the people who actually live there." -- President Lyndon Johnson

It sounds like Matthew Hoh has a natural ally in Vice President Biden... (0.00 / 0)
I hope Biden's foreign policy advisor is able to convince Hoh to stay and work closely with the administration to change the dynamics in Afghanistan.

Thanks for highlighting this here!


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