Karzai Declared President As Election Runoff Canceled

Time by Aryn Baker | Nov. 2, 2009 (News Analysis)

If the Obama Administration had hoped that pressuring President Hamid Karzai into accepting a runoff election would strengthen the legitimacy of the resulting Afghan government, those hopes have now been dashed. Karzai has been declared the elected President of Afghanistan by election-poll officials, after they scrapped the planned second round of the vote. Independent Election Commission chairman Azizullah Lodin announced that Karzai was the victor during ... Full Story »

Posted by Derek Hawkins

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3.2

by Derek Hawkins - Nov. 2, 2009

Purports to capture the views of quite a few Afghans -- and Americans -- but seems to omit some key data. Good analysis.

The small mandate may matter little in Afghanistan, where most people are simply relieved that the long wait is over. But it may make more problems for the Obama Administration as it deliberates a new policy for the country and how many new troops to invest. It will be harder to make the case to Congress and the American public that Karzai, winning on a technicality, is a partner the U.S. really wants in the region.

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