Afghanistan

[bush_cheney2004]

I think the reason is, they don't know if the new government would fully support the mission. And if not, they won't be wasting their time or troops. Because Karzai was our man in the region, and the corrupt election results are now well known, so he might not win....

Ummm..OK...but why are they waiting for Obama's "new" strategy....this is a NATO joint.

[Sir Bandelot]

Another question is, why is Obama waiting.

I think maybe the reasons are the same, resolve this election question first, then decide whether to escalate or not.

[myata]

One possibility could be that he isn't at all eager to give carte blanche (in the form of our unwavering support) to somebody already mired in corruption and now, election fraud?

[Sir Bandelot]

Afghan challenger to withdraw from run-off

The decision, if confirmed, would effectively give Karzai a second five-year term.

The U.S. State Department had no immediate comment.

There's a clear reason for this. Abdullah knows that the runoff election will be just as corrupted as the first one, and despite that Karzai will still win, and the west will hail it as a "great victory" for democracy.

By pulling out, he makes this election a complete farce, and hands Karzai the empty victory from what the whole world already knows was a corrupted election. He undermines any notion of validity for Karzai and his western financial backers. The people all know this. One more nail in the coffin, for the liars who stand at their pulpits and crow the sounds of western virtue.

[M.Dancer]

Afghan challenger to withdraw from run-off

The decision, if confirmed, would effectively give Karzai a second five-year term.

The U.S. State Department had no immediate comment.

There's a clear reason for this. Abdullah knows that the runoff election will be just as corrupted as the first one, and despite that Karzai will still win, and the west will hail it as a "great victory" for democracy.

By pulling out, he makes this election a complete farce, and hands Karzai the empty victory from what the whole world already knows was a corrupted election. He undermines any notion of validity for Karzai and his western financial backers. The people all know this. One more nail in the coffin, for the liars who stand at their pulpits and crow the sounds of western virtue.

It's debateable. Both were fudging the vites....maybe he knew a clean election would also see karzai re elected.

Either way, a fudged election trumps no election at all.

[Sir Bandelot]

a fudged election trumps no election at all.

HA!

Keekerekeee!!! Eh Dancer?

Keekerekeee!!!

Don't forget to puff up your chest while doing that.

[M.Dancer]

I keep forgetting some here don't believe in elections of any quality

[M.Dancer]

HA!

Keekerekeee!!! Eh Dancer?

Keekerekeee!!!

Don't forget to puff up your chest while doing that.

Did you sit on your nuts again?

[Sir Bandelot]

I keep forgetting some here don't believe in elections of any quality

You keep forgetting, your great thread on the Iran elections.

Funny how your attitude has changed now that the foot is up the other ass.

M.Dancer credibility = 0

[M.Dancer]

You keep forgetting, your great thread on the Iran elections.

Funny how your attitude has changed now that the foot is up the other ass.

M.Dancer credibility = 0

Not sure if I even commented on the recent Iran elections

Bandelot = retarded horse's ass

[Sir Bandelot]

Karzai rival Abdullah quits Afghan run-off

Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah quit an election run-off on Sunday after accusing the government of not meeting his demands for a fair vote, leaving a cloud over the legitimacy of the next government.

"As far as I'm concerned, the decision I have reached is not to participate," he later told reporters at his Kabul home. "I have strong, strong reservations about the credibility of the process," he said.

Abdullah said he quit because the demands he had sought from the government and the Independent Election Commission (IEC), including the sacking of Afghanistan's top election official in the wake of the tainted first round, had not been met.

He said there would be no demonstrations and urged his supporters "not to take to the streets, not to feel grief."

A weakened Afghan government under President Hamid Karzai would also be a blow for U.S. President Barack Obama as he decides whether to send more U.S. troops to fight a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan.

Obama met his top military leaders on Friday as part of a strategic review. Some analysts were scathing in their assessment of what was seen as a flawed election staged against the backdrop of increasing violence after eight years of war.

"It is a shocking failure of efforts by the West and other international communities to build a democracy in Afghanistan," said Norine MacDonald, president of policy research group The International Council on Security and Development.

-------

Too bad if they won't take to the streets. But then with their terrible security problems, given the fact that western troops cannot maintain security because of the lack of support/ resources from western leaders, who can blame them.

I guess Obama et al needs to think about this some more...

Edited November 1, 2009 by Sir Bandelot

[GostHacked]

I keep forgetting some here don't believe in elections of any quality

The election was a farce, hence no election, hence no quality, hence no democracy.

[myata]

This is what's normally called "by crook" (falsified elections) or "by hook" (handtwisting opponent out of contest). A strategy reserved exclusively for "democratic reconstruction", and condemned as a severe violation of principles so dear to our democratic heart in all other cases.

[bush_cheney2004]

....I guess Obama et al needs to think about this some more...

Nah...let PM Harper figure it out. Canada always has the most inspired answers for everybody.

Then we can all have a nice cold Coke.

Edited November 2, 2009 by bush_cheney2004

[GostHacked]

Nah...let PM Harper figure it out. Canada always has the most inspired answers for everybody.

Then we can all have a nice cold Coke.

English Canada prefers Coke, while French Canada really likes the Pepsi.

[M.Dancer]

English Canada prefers Coke, while French Canada really likes the Pepsi.

Myth....

[Sir Bandelot]

Nah...let PM Harper figure it out. Canada always has the most inspired answers for everybody.

Then we can all have a nice cold Coke.

Yes, we like to think things through carefully.

Thanks

Burp...

[Sir Bandelot]

Afghanistan: Karzai poll victory 'is illegal'

Former Afghan presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah has said Hamid Karzai's re-election is "illegal".

Dr Abdullah told reporters in Kabul that Mr Karzai's government would lack the legitimacy needed to deal with problems like corruption and terrorism.

The decision of the Afghan Independent Election Commission (IEC) not to have a run-off had "no legal basis".

"Such a government which lacks legitimacy cannot fight corruption," he told reporters.

"A government which comes to power without the people's support cannot fight the phenomena of terrorism threats, unemployment, poverty and hundreds of other problems."

Dr Abdullah said the election commission, which critics say was biased towards Mr Karzai, had exceeded its mandate. Other critics have called Mr Karzai's victory unconstitutional because he did not secure more than half of the vote.

The crisis has paralysed the Afghan government for months, and delayed decisions by the US and other Nato partners on sending more troops to combat the insurgency.

"The process has completed itself with that final, illegal decision," he said. "I leave it to the people of Afghanistan to judge."

The Taliban responded by saying they would continue their fight and called Mr Karzai "a puppet".

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8341727.stm

--------

More bad news, as though we needed some more. But if the political front cannot be stabilized, victory whatever that means could still be a long way off.

Edited November 4, 2009 by Sir Bandelot

[GostHacked]

Myth....

Thanks for the insight. English Canada likes Blue, French Canada likes Bleue. I know another myth. OH looooook a Jos Louis!

Sir Bandelot - Why did Abdullah not pursue the ron off? He stood strong then backed out like a freakin weakling. Saying there is no democracy or legitimacy in the election. He only needs to do one thing, challenge the vote, challenge the election and do his best. But he packed it in and now is crying like a baby about it all. He could have made a difference but put his tail between his legs and ran off to bitch behind the scenes.

He could have been muscled into backing out.

[MichiganBoy]

Another Afghanistan in Latin America?

Fidel Castro: Colombia’s Annexation to USA

I’ve got something on my mind in this respect. You must remember that shit that happened to Afghanistan after US troops entered the territory. Americans were said to combat the drug trade there. Did they? Nope! Contrary to the expectations, drug trade did not slow down. Since 1999, it has doubled in means of overall opium production, up to 7,700 tons in 2008. Why so? Every barber knows that after the US secret services established control of opium production in Afghanistan, they began to use it as an additional fund source for all spec ops of US troops in Central Asia. Exactly this is why all expectations of certain state leaders of Latin America are somewhat cloud-built as they hope that American troops would put end to drug trade after they come to that region. You may imagine what’s going to happen to, say, Colombia after Americans establish their military bases there. Drug trade will thrive!

[Sir Bandelot]

Yes indeed it is possible, and would not be un-precedented. Although it appears that the Taliban may be using money from drug sales to finance their operations, there is evidence that in the past when they were in control of Afghanistan they were firmly against drug production, seeing it as immoral. This caused the price of heroin in Europe to go up, as the supply went down. Now we have the reverse. It's possible that the CIA prefers that drugs stay illegal for their own financial benefit, as they have used it in the past to fund certain operations.

Iran-Contra affair

In 1996 Gary Webb wrote a series of articles published in the San Jose Mercury News, which investigated Nicaraguans linked to the CIA-backed Contras who had allegedly smuggled cocaine into the U.S. which was then distributed as crack cocaine into Los Angeles and funneled profits to the Contras. According to Webb, the CIA was aware of the cocaine transactions and the large shipments of drugs into the U.S. by the Contra personnel and directly aided drug dealers to raise money for the Contras. On December 10, 2004, he was found dead from two gunshot wounds to the head. Sacramento County coroner Robert Lyons determined that it was suicide.

In 1996 CIA Director John M. Deutch went to Los Angeles to refute the allegations raised by the Gary Webb articles, and was famously confronted by former LAPD officer Michael Ruppert, who testified that he witnessed it occurring.

Nice world we created

Edited November 9, 2009 by Sir Bandelot

[myata]

Regardless of how many times we'll chant "remember", we actually remember nothing.

We needed a friendly SOB to keep things under the lid (i.e the way we wants them) x,000 miles away from where we actually are.

And the SOB knows very well that we need them too. A healthy (or unholy?) symbiotic relationship, or call it mutual dependency, or a truimph of democracy, whatever suits one's current agenda.