Undeterred by Taliban threats, Afghans showing up to get voter cards

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Men wait in line at a voter registration site in western Paktika Province. The country-wide registration drive comes ahead of presidential polls expected to be held in late 2009. The election is seen as a critical test of Afghanistan's government as it faces a resurgent Taliban and growing criticism at home and abroad over rampant corruption.


Undeterred by Taliban threats, Afghans showing up to get voter cards
By Michael Gisick, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Monday, January 5, 2009

PAKTIKA PROVINCE, Afghanistan — A sweeping voter registration drive is under way across Afghanistan for the presidential election to be held later this year, a test of the country’s tottering government.

U.S. troops have focused combat operations in recent weeks on disrupting insurgent activity near registration sites, though American forces have generally kept a careful distance from the sites themselves.

"We don’t want to make it look like an American event," said Capt. John Madia, an information operations officer who has worked with Afghan election officials in Paktika province.

Registration began in some areas in October and is scheduled to be completed in February. The election itself is expected to be held in the second half of 2009.

President Hamid Karzai, who was elected to a five-year term in 2004, has indicated he will likely seek re-election. Karzai has faced growing criticism at home and abroad over rampant corruption, but so far no credible opponent has emerged.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=59795