Wednesday
Oct212009
UPDATED Afghanistan: Here is What Will Happen (in 4 Sentences)
Wednesday, October 21, 2009 at 9:01
Understanding “Mr Obama’s Wars”: Five Essential Analyses on Afghanistan and Pakistan
Afghanistan: The Real Importance of The“Non-Story” of 13,000 Support Troops
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UPDATE 21 October: Overwhelmed by the mass of media coverage on the developments in Afghanistan? Well, just before going to the best inside story --- Karen DeYoung and Joshua Partlow in The Washington Post --- let's have a look at EA's four sentences from yesterday and see how they hold up:
1. Karzai accepts runoff. Check.
2. US declares satisfaction. President Obama to reporters, "President Karzai, as well as the other candidates have shown that they have the interests of the Afghan people at heart." Check.
3. Closest challenger Abdullah Abdullah accepts runoff. Check.
4. Coalition government with both Karzai and Abdullah to be formed. Wait for it --- it will come soon after the 7 November run-off.
5. US then declares troop escalation. Could be a pre-Christmas present for all of us.
Let's cut through the acres of newsprint and hours of broadcasts trying to get to grips with the controversy over the Afghanistan Presidential election, after a UN-backed electoral commission threw out 28 percent of the votes for current President and front-runner Hamid Karzai and 18 percent of the votes for his closest challenger, Abdullah Abdullah.
Today Karzai will reluctantly accept the finding that he received less than 50 percent of the first-round tally and will have to go through a run-off vote, secure in the knowledge that he will win. The US Government will declare its satisfaction with the outcome, knowing that Karzai will remain as President after the next ballot. Abdullah will be offered a prominent position in a new "national unity" Government. If he accepts, Washington will pronounce that the political conditions have been met for a (size still to be determined) military escalation.
Spread the word.
Afghanistan: The Real Importance of The“Non-Story” of 13,000 Support Troops
Receive our latest updates by email or RSS SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FEED
Buy Us A Cup of Coffee? Help Enduring America Expand Its Coverage and Analysis
UPDATE 21 October: Overwhelmed by the mass of media coverage on the developments in Afghanistan? Well, just before going to the best inside story --- Karen DeYoung and Joshua Partlow in The Washington Post --- let's have a look at EA's four sentences from yesterday and see how they hold up:
1. Karzai accepts runoff. Check.
2. US declares satisfaction. President Obama to reporters, "President Karzai, as well as the other candidates have shown that they have the interests of the Afghan people at heart." Check.
3. Closest challenger Abdullah Abdullah accepts runoff. Check.
4. Coalition government with both Karzai and Abdullah to be formed. Wait for it --- it will come soon after the 7 November run-off.
5. US then declares troop escalation. Could be a pre-Christmas present for all of us.
Let's cut through the acres of newsprint and hours of broadcasts trying to get to grips with the controversy over the Afghanistan Presidential election, after a UN-backed electoral commission threw out 28 percent of the votes for current President and front-runner Hamid Karzai and 18 percent of the votes for his closest challenger, Abdullah Abdullah.
Today Karzai will reluctantly accept the finding that he received less than 50 percent of the first-round tally and will have to go through a run-off vote, secure in the knowledge that he will win. The US Government will declare its satisfaction with the outcome, knowing that Karzai will remain as President after the next ballot. Abdullah will be offered a prominent position in a new "national unity" Government. If he accepts, Washington will pronounce that the political conditions have been met for a (size still to be determined) military escalation.
Spread the word.
Reader Comments (2)
Forget the Washington Post and the New York Times of 20 October! La Clinton told the world herself last Friday (16 Oct.) in an interview with CNN that there would be a run-off vote and that Karzai would win it: "... I think one can conclude that the likelihood of him winning a second round is probably pretty high." :-) She went on to say that this means her boss can proceed with his plans for military escalation without worries. "Clinton said the timing of President Barack Obama's decision on whether to commit more troops to the fight in Afghanistan will not hinge on the election results. 'I think the president is expecting to make a decision on his own timetable,' she said, 'when he is absolutely comfortable with what he believes is in the best interest of the United States.' "
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/10/16/clinton-karzai-runoff-win-likely-but-he-must-deliver/
Oh the comedy thickens. Of course, we all know, what true leftist analysis (a la Fisk, et. al.) reveals, that Ahmadinejad really won.... as "polling" done 30 days before the election by the U. of Maryland "proves." :-}