Karzai 'stripped of outright win'

[maddezmom]

Source: BBC

Karzai 'stripped of outright win'

A panel probing fraud claims in the Afghan election has found Hamid Karzai did not gain enough valid votes for an outright win, the BBC understands.

Preliminary results from August's first round had placed Mr Karzai comfortably over the 50% plus one vote threshold needed to avoid a run-off.

But officials have told the BBC the Electoral Complaints Commission (EEC) says Mr Karzai did not win above 50%.

Mr Karzai could now face a second round against main rival Abdullah Abdullah.

The Afghan president says he won the vote outright, but EU observers have said as many as one in four votes cast were suspicious.




Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8314613.stm

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Afghan fraud panel voids thousands of Karzai votes

KABUL — Fraud investigators have thrown out hundreds of thousands of ballots for Afghanistan's president from the country's disputed August election. The report sets the stage for a runoff between him and his top challenger.

A U.N.-backed panel Monday released its findings after nearly two months of investigations.

International officials say the panel determined that President Hamid Karzai's total fell below the 50 percent needed for outright victory. But a separate commission is yet to accept the findings and call for a second-round vote. That commission had questioned some of the findings.

more:http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hvWEqwq3CrRvaQCmt21MfoYhjZJQD9BE67Q81

'Deadlock' as Karzai rejects UN fraud verdict
president Karzai is refusing to accept the result of a UN-led probe into vote-rigging in Afghanistan's presidential election and a senior aide said today that the crisis had reached a "deadlock".

Mohammad Moin Marastyal, an Afghan MP and leading member of Mr Karzai’s campaign team. said that the UN-backed Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC) had twisted the facts in a deliberate attempt to trigger a run-off vote.

“Effort has been made to lower Karzai’s vote to below 50 per cent," Mr Marastyal said. "Now we are in a deadlock.”

The election was tainted by allegations of widespread fraud and has fanned tension between Mr Karzai and his former allies in the West.

more:http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/Afghanistan/article6880658.ece

[tekisui]

1. And, he is not accepting the results. It puts us in a tough situation.

We need to untangle ourselves.

[Soylent Brice]

2. surprise surprise.

not.

[Botany]

3. Time to go home .... where does Karzai think he is Florida or Ohio

[NRaleighLiberal]

4. Thank goodness we live in a country where elections are clean and fair.

I am sure Karzai/the World clearly see our moral superiority.

Do I really need to add this?

:puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[Bette Noir]

5. I hope we're not going to support him militarily against the UN.

[saigon68]

13. Yes WE Can, Yes WE will, Its change WE can believe in.

[PinkOwl]

6. Nearly a third of Hamid Karzai's votes voided

Source: AP

KABUL – U.N.-backed fraud investigators on Monday threw out nearly a third President Hamid Karzai's votes from the country's disputed August election. The findings set the stage for a runoff between him and his top challenger.

It was unclear, however, whether the Afghan-led Independent Election Commission would accept the findings of the fraud panel and announce a runoff. Karzai's spokesman said it was too soon to make a judgment based on the figures released by the panel.

That could mean a further delay in forming a new government that the U.S. believes is needed to help combat the growing Taliban insurgency. A protracted crisis could also lead to political unrest.

The White House has also said no decision on sending more U.S. troops to Afghanistan would be made before the election crisis is resolved — a stance reiterated by the civilian chief of the NATO military alliance on Monday.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091019/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan;_ylt=Anxut92ZHQ85ifquee6aNPes0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTJzOXByYWNvBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkxMDE5L2FzX2FmZ2hhbmlzdGFuBGNwb3MDMgRwb3MDNwRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yeQRzbGsDbmVhcmx5YXRoaXJk

[YouTakeTheSkyway]

7. That's a Good First Step

It seems the IEC isn't accepting the ruling, at least not for now. Not surprising considering that the IEC is stacked with Karzai's allies. This is going to be an interesting showdown. How Karzai can sit there and play these games when he knows that any troop increase depends on his willingness to accept the fraud investigators findings is beyond me.

[David__77]

8. Why would there be a runoff if the challenger won a majority the first time?

That could very well be the case.

[YouTakeTheSkyway]

9. The Fraud Investigators Don't Believe The Challenger Did Win Over 50% Either

[madrchsod]

10. so that`s what our son`s and daughter`s blood and our money is buying

a corrupt election...

it`s feeling like 1960`s all over again...with out the music and the protests...

"hey hey lbj-how many kids you kill today"

[Turborama]

11. We've known about this since August, before the election...

So, if Karzai has been found to be a fraudster how come he can run in a runoff?

Afghan election fraud is unearthed

By Ian Pannell
BBC News, Kabul
August 18 2009

An investigation by the BBC has found evidence of fraud and corruption in Afghanistan's presidential election.

Voting cards were sold openly and candidates were offered thousands of dollars in bribes for votes.

An Afghan working for the BBC went undercover in Kabul to investigate reports that voting cards were being sold and was offered 1,000 cards, each costing around £6 ($10).

Full report: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8207315.stm

Just two days before polling there were multiple claims of fraud circulating.
August 18 2009
Report and video: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8206469.stm

Afghan poll: Main fraud allegations
September 17 2009
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8244125.stm

[YouTakeTheSkyway]

12. I assume because

it's extremely hard to prove he had knowledge of or directly participated in the fraud.