UN chief acknowledges fraud in Afghan vote

[joeycola]

Source: AP




UN chief acknowledges fraud in Afghan vote

Associated Press Writers – 48 mins ago

KABUL – The top U.N. official in Afghanistan on Sunday acknowledged "widespread fraud" in the disputed presidential election and rejected allegations from a former deputy that he covered up cheating to smooth the path to victory for President Hamid Karzai.

The remarks by Norwegian diplomat Kai Eide appeared designed to win back respect for both the troubled U.N. mission and the entire election process ahead of a ruling by investigators on whether fraud was extensive enough in the Aug. 20 balloting to require a runoff.

Eide's reputation was tarnished when his deputy Peter Galbraith alleged that the U.N. mission chief downplayed allegations of widespread ballot-stuffing by Karzai's supporters. Galbraith, the top-ranking American in the U.N. mission, was fired Sept. 30 by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon after the widely publicized dispute.

A U.N.-backed fraud panel is expected to decide this week whether to throw out enough votes to require a runoff between Karzai and his top challenger, Abdullah Abdullah. Doubts about the U.N.'s neutrality could throw the panel's rulings into question.

The Obama administration and its international partners had hoped the vote — the first presidential election run by Afghans — would restore legitimacy to a government plagued by weakness and corruption. Instead, widespread allegations of ballot-box stuffing have sullied Karzai's reputation and Galbraith's accusations threaten to undermine the credibility of the U.N. which helped organize the election.


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Once the election results become clear, President Barack Obama is expected to complete a review of Afghan strategy and decide whether to accept a recommendation by his top commander here, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, for up to 40,000 more troops.


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091011/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan;_ylt=Aku.T2fyBYGZFEYlzTz5ZJes0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTMwcWFrM241BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkxMDExL2FzX2FmZ2hhbmlzdGFuBGNwb3MDNARwb3MDMQRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX2hlYWRsaW5lX2xpc3QEc2xrA3VuY2hpZWZhY2tubw--

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Well, it is about time that someone steps forward.

[Flaneur]

1. This is what we're fighting for?

[IndianaGreen]

2. We fought for Diem and Thieu in South Vietnam

The reason we always repeat the mistakes of the past is because the children of the ruling class never have to go to war.

[karynnj]

3. Actually several of them did

John Kerry and many of his friends, all children of the most elite class in the US did go. One of Kerry's best friends from elementary school and later Yale, the grandson of General Pershing died in the Tet offensive. John McCain was the son of an elite family. In earlier wars, JFK and GHWB both served. Obama is supposedly listening to three people outside his administration - Kerry, Reed, and Powell - all of whom served.

Vietnam might have been the first war that many of the elite avoided to the degree they did - though even in the Civil War some bought their way out. Now, I think it is more extreme than in Vietnam. It is rare enough to be newsworthy when a son or daughter of a powerful parent opts to go.

[bertman]

4. If we're really there to protect democracy, this should give President Obama the opening

he needs to tell the General to pack their gear and bring our troops home. Of course, we're really there to protect oil and gas pipelines, so we won't be pulling out any time soon.

Regarding the elites not serving: that may be true now, but when I was in basic training at Fort Bragg in 1966, there was the son of a four-star Air Force general in my platoon.

Recommend.

[inna]

5. it's really unfortunate that Galbraith got fired.

[grantcart]

6. yes it indicates a much deeper problem with the UN mission their

[unhappycamper]

7. UN acknowledges widespread fraud in Afghan election

Source: NYT / Boston Globe



UN special envoy Kai Eide insisted yesterday that he had pursued all claims of fraud in the Afghan election.


UN acknowledges widespread fraud in Afghan election
By Sabrina Tavernise and Abdul Waheed Wafa
New York Times / October 12, 2009

KABUL, Afghanistan - The United Nations acknowledged publicly for the first time yesterday that the country’s presidential election had been marred by widespread fraud.

Flanked by the ambassadors to Afghanistan from the United States, Britain, France, and Germany at a news conference, Kai Eide, the top UN official in Afghanistan, affirmed that the election was tainted.

“There was widespread fraud, but any specific figure would be pure speculation,’’ Eide said.

While extensive fraud in the Aug. 20 presidential election has been widely documented, including by the UN-backed agency that is overseeing the vote, the comment by Eide seemed intended to rebut allegations by his former deputy that he was covering up fraud to benefit President Hamid Karzai.

Read more: http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2009/10/12/un_acknowledges_widespread_fraud_in_afghan_election/

[rfranklin]

8. It's good to know that we support democracy...

as long as the results can be skewed in our favor.