Three-Quarters of Votes Counted in Afghan Election, Karzai's Lead Narrows

[steve2470]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGBJSAEKN0E.html

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Rival candidates have nibbled away at Hamid Karzai's strong lead in Afghanistan's landmark elections, but he still appeared on course Saturday to secure a majority and avoid a run-off vote against his main challenger.

With 6.3 million, or three-fourths, of votes counted as of Saturday morning, the interim leader had 3,426,845 votes or 54.5 percent. Former Education Minister Yunus Qanooni was second with 17.3 percent.

Karzai has served as stopgap president since the U.S.-led ouster of the Taliban regime in late 2001 and was overwhelming favorite to win the Oct. 9 poll - Afghans' first chance to directly elect their leader.<snip>

[saigon68]

1. The CIA sponsored Mayor Of Kabul may yet steal the election

Our puppet having problems winning an election that was preordained. We need more operatives and hidden agents to lose a few ballots.

[saltpoint]

2. Oil's Well that Ends Well

Wasn't Karzai an oil executive for Exxon-Mobil, or some other oil company? How odd that he should pop up as the interim president of Afghanistan, now running for a permanent post there.

Are U.S. military bases in Afghanistan along the proposed route of the neocons' dream pipeline?

[AIJ Alom]

4. Unocal aligned with Haliburton.

[MrPrax]

3. Surprise Surprise

Even the widespread fraud, boycotts,special assistance--oh yeah ongoing war--this guy still can't get a 'clear' mandate.

If we westerners REALLY believed in democracy, there is not way we would bother trying to have elections in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Moreover, if we REALLY believed in consent, we would make sure our interim 'proxies' were barred from even running in the election.