US rejects Belarus poll results

[cal04]

The US and EU have condemned elections in Belarus which international monitors say were severely flawed.
Fresh protests were held in Belarus on Monday, a day after President Alexander Lukashenko won 82.6% of
the vote. The White House, which has previously labelled Mr Lukashenko a dictator, says it does not accept the results. The EU says it is likely to impose sanctions.

Mr Lukashenko denounced the statements as "foreign pressure", while Russia - a key ally - sent him congratulations.
Main opposition candidate Alexander Milinkevich has described Mr Lukashenko as an "illegal, illegitimate president".
Thousands of supporters heeded his call and turned out in the capital, Minsk, on Monday night, but it appeared their numbers were only about half Sunday's crowd of 10,000. "Our protest will be strong and long," Mr Milinkevich told the crowd, urging them not to disperse.

Busloads of riot police were reported to be spreading into nearby streets to try to prevent more people reaching the city's main square. Official figures say the election had a turnout of 92.6%. The result gives the president, in power since 1994, a third term in office. However the OSCE, Europe's main election monitoring body, said there had been harassment and detention of opposition activists, biased media coverage and obstruction of independent monitors.
"The Belarussian election was severely flawed due to arbitrary use of state power and restrictions to basic rights," the OSCE said in a statement.

In the US, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the US was backing opposition calls for a re-run of the election. "The United States does not accept the results of the election," Mr McClellan said. "The election campaign was conducted in a climate of fear. It included arrests and beatings and fraud."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4824642.stm

[LSparkle]

1. "Arrests and beatings and fraud ... oh my!"

Sounds familiar ...

[Kierkegaard]

2. Wow.

How the hell could McClellan muster the nerve to make any kind of a statement about tainted elections?!?! What a screwed up place, this America.

[CBGLuthier]

3. Cry, Laugh. Tear your hair out!!!

They know exactly what they are saying and can do it with a straight face.

Sometimes I just think we are truly fucked.

[brokensymmetry]

4. He should have used Diebold.

After all, everyone knows that Diebold guarantees a fair election every time. :sarcasm:

[MasonJar]

5. Oh, sure, how embarrassing is that? We cannot say anything to

anyone about anything any more (Is that enough any's to get your attention, W, you ass?)

[SteelBird]

6. I reject those results too

Lukashenko is a tyrant and Belarus would be a lot better off without him.

[dipsydoodle]

7. Nobody did much

when exactly the same thing happened in Azerbaijan. That was most probably due to the pipeline being built to carry Caspian oil across Georgia into Turkey. Wouldn't have wanted to disturb that - would we Bushy ? They even managed to kick out the election observers without much protest.

[eppur_se_muova]

8. Now, what if Belarus rejects the US "election"?

That should open up some interesting discussion. Maybe some international scrutiny of OUR elections would result.

[Drum]

10. Thank you, YES!

[Robeson]

9. Can the EU come and get rid of our dictator? Pretty please?

[LynnTheDem]

11. But any suicide bombs and dozens of deaths like IRAQ'S "elections"?

The hypocrisy is astounding.

[sofa king]

12. Scott McClellan is going to regret he ever said that.

Because I have a hunch is going to be denying the exact same things in eight months, and maybe again two years after that.

[HuffleClaw]

13. simply laughable.

i guess fixed elections only count if they are bushco.-brand ones?