Elections in Afghanistan

[Topaz]

I had a feeling that the elections in this country could probably be rigged and by what I read in the following report it makes that point closer to ther truth. Part of the article said that election officials said that 5530 ballots had been done the first hour, the only problem with that the the Time reporter who wrote the article said when he got there at 8AM, the first hour NO ONE was there! This is just like the voting in the US, which had been going on for years only the voters don't realize it and it did go on when Bush was elected. The election is now down to two guys, Karzai and another guy. I'm sure if NATO or the US doesn't want the other guy in Karazi will be announced as the winner. The winner is who is going to be the friendliest to the US. BTW, Manley is one of the people watching over the election to make sure nothing is illegal, the same guy that help bring in the NAU together. http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/capress/090821/.../as_afghanistan

[M.Dancer]

BTW, Manley is one of the people watching over the election to make sure nothing is illegal, the same guy that help bring in the NAU together.

There is no NAU. Not that that facts matters to the tinfoil hat brigade.

How many threads do you propose to start on the same topic?

[Guest American Woman]

How is a thread entitled "Elections in Afghanistan" different from the thread you started less than ten days ago entitled "Afghanistan Elections?"

Did you see the response I posted in that thread?

[The BBC's] Pannell said there was no way to estimate how many voting cards had made it illegally into circulation, but that numbers were thought to be huge — with the fraud so pervasive, and exploited by all of the 30 candidates so extensively, that it may actually cancel itself out, lending no great advantage to any one contender. link

There you claimed "supporters of Karazi are buying up voting cards to help win the election..." But as I pointed out, it wasn't just Karazi; it was all the candidates. That sort of paints a different picture than 'it was the Karazi and probably the U.S.' trying to affect the outcome of the election. I'm guessing that's why my post got no response; and here's a brand new thread about the election.

So anyway, you're "feeling that the elections might be rigged" are based on the reality that all the candidates were committing fraud. So the fraud wasn't just about Karazi and the United States and who the U.S. government wanted to win. And no, it's not "just like voting in the U.S." and it hasn't "been going on for years."

[Topaz]

There is no NAU. Not that that facts matters to the tinfoil hat brigade.

How many threads do you propose to start on the same topic?

OK Dancer time for video.

[Topaz]

How is a thread entitled "Elections in Afghanistan" different from the thread you started less than ten days ago entitled "Afghanistan Elections?"

Did you see the response I posted in that thread?

[The BBC's] Pannell said there was no way to estimate how many voting cards had made it illegally into circulation, but that numbers were thought to be huge — with the fraud so pervasive, and exploited by all of the 30 candidates so extensively, that it may actually cancel itself out, lending no great advantage to any one contender. link

There you claimed "supporters of Karazi are buying up voting cards to help win the election..." But as I pointed out, it wasn't just Karazi; it was all the candidates. That sort of paints a different picture than 'it was the Karazi and probably the U.S.' trying to affect the outcome of the election. I'm guessing that's why my post got no response; and here's a brand new thread about the election.

So anyway, you're "feeling that the elections might be rigged" are based on the reality that all the candidates were committing fraud. So the fraud wasn't just about Karazi and the United States and who the U.S. government wanted to win. And no, it's not "just like voting in the U.S." and it hasn't "been going on for years."

Sorry, but I didn't get back to read the comments on the other thread.

[M.Dancer]

OK Dancer time for video.

As a favour could you flag your video links... something like for "complete f*cking idiots"?

That way I don't have to waste my time wactching things for complete f*cking idiots...

[Guest American Woman]

Sorry, but I didn't get back to read the comments on the other thread.

So why didn't you get back to read them instead of starting a new thread about the exact same thing? Aren't you interested in what people had to say about it? Maybe learning something beyond the one link you posted in the process? Or are you only interested in repeating your take on it over and over-- without any interest in discussion? Because that's the way it appears to me.

So what do you think about the fact that apparently all the candidates were committing fraud? Does that give you a different take on it at all? Because it should. It definitely wasn't "Karazi and the United States" the way you keep presenting it.

[Oleg Bach]

So why didn't you get back to read them instead of starting a new thread about the exact same thing? Aren't you interested in what people had to say about it? Maybe learning something beyond the one link you posted in the process? Or are you only interested in repeating your take on it over and over-- without any interest in discussion? Because that's the way it appears to me.

So what do you think about the fact that apparently all the candidates were committing fraud? Does that give you a different take on it at all? Because it should. It definitely wasn't "Karazi and the United States" the way you keep presenting it.

What do you expect from an old tribal culture? Not to gain though deception? Or as you say 'committing fraud? _ when a blow fish puffs itself up and shows it's sharp spikes - appearing to be ten times it's real size - this is natural fraud- and it is human nature as in nature to lie to gain advantage - It goes on in the west - so why do we expect better behaviour from a more base and primative culture?

[Topaz]

Here's a different view on the elelction http://www.skyreporter.com/

[Guest American Woman]

Here's a different view on the elelction http://www.skyreporter.com/

How is that "a different view?" I'm not sure what you're getting at. Your link, which is an editorial, not a news item, doesn't refute that all the candidates were involved in fraud; and it most certainly doesn't say that the U.S. government wants Karzai to win (and in fact says the U.S. government is distrustful of him), or that the U.S. and/or NATO are involved in any of the fraud that went on. But for the record, NATO includes Canada, so I'm not sure what your point would be even if your assumptions/accusations were correct.

Furthermore, what that has to do with your claim that the voting fraud/election "is just like the United States" is beyond me. There were things wrong with the Afghan election besides the fraud, including threats by the Taliban to cut off fingers, and from what I read, that did happen to a couple of voters. Also, I've read that in sections of Afghanistan where the Taliban is the strongest, voting numbers were down because of fear. And you think this is "just like voting in the U.S.?"

It dumbfounds me as to why you would take the Afghan election and attempt to make it about the United States.

[Oleg Bach]

To make the Afghan election "about the United States" makes sense to me. With out the USA there would not be an election in it's present form in Afghanistan. America has always directly or indirectly funded the over throw of other governments..including it's own. American corporate elite just hate competition - The males in Iraq and Afghanistan resist taking it up the butt by the great American interloping projection of power.

Once America weakens and can no longer supply the muscle to keep their warlords of choice doing their bidding..it will all go back to what it always was. Just like it did for the Russians - no self respecting warlord wants to be the bottom man and the pillow biter.

[Guest American Woman]

To make the Afghan election "about the United States" makes sense to me. With out the USA there would not be an election in it's present form in Afghanistan. America has always directly or indirectly funded the over throw of other governments..

Riiiight. Because it's not about attacks against the U.S., or the world rallying behind us after those attacks, or NATO's complete support in the war, including Canada; it's all about "American trying to over throw [Afghanistan's] government." A government that was so very great to begin with.

So yeah. Let's not make this about Afghanistan. Let's make it about the United States. Because evidently some people care more about the U.S. than what actually happens in Afghanistan.

[Oleg Bach]

Riiiight. Because it's not about attacks against the U.S., or the world rallying behind us after those attacks, or NATO's complete support in the war, including Canada; it's all about "American trying to over throw [Afghanistan's] government." A government that was so very great to begin with.

So yeah. Let's not make this about Afghanistan. Let's make it about the United States. Because evidently some people care more about the U.S. than what actually happens in Afghanistan.

It's our perception of government - a bearded tough sitting in a tent surrounded by twenty men with AKs is a government in it's own right. Having said that. What right has the west to enforce it's way of functioning in the world to some dope growers in Afghanistan or some eastern mafia types that operate out of Bahagdad? If Amercia was sincere about tossing out governments or establishing new and better ones they should have invaded Saudi Arabia - and by the way..where is the poster boy for oil wealth and rich adventurism - that Bin Laden guy? It's none of our buisness what they do in Iraq or Afghanistan - also - what's with the opium market thriving? You would think they would have attacked that - sorry - America is a huge corporate entity run like a buisness - and it's buisness as usual - there are no good guys when it comes to money and power and having a lot of fun - fun at the expense of stupid people like us.