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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
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Clinton 'Hopeful' as Karzai Weighs Runoff, Deal

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(AP) – Hamid Karzai intends to announce tomorrow how he will "set the stage" for resolving the country's postelection political crisis, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said today. She wouldn't say whether the Afghan president has decided to accept the findings of a UN-backed fraud investigation that threw out nearly a third of Karzai's ballots from the disputed August election and set the stage for a runoff.

"He is going to announce his intentions," Clinton said after meeting with president Nouri al-Maliki of Iraq. "I am going to let him do that, but I am encouraged at the direction the situation is moving." An option that would preclude a runoff would be a power-sharing agreement between Karzai and his closest challenger in the August balloting, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah. "I am very hopeful that we will see a resolution in line with the constitutional order in the next several days," Clinton said.

Presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah arrives at a press conference in Kabul, Oct. 15, 2009.
Presidential candidate Abdullah Abdullah arrives at a press conference in Kabul, Oct. 15, 2009.   (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)
Workers of the Afghan Election Commission check suspicious ballot papers during the recounting process at the main election office in Kabul, Oct. 7, 2009.
Workers of the Afghan Election Commission check suspicious ballot papers during the recounting process at the main election office in Kabul, Oct. 7, 2009.   (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)
Afghan President Hamid Karzai takes a question during a press conference at Presidential Palace in Kabul, Oct. 11, 2009.
Afghan President Hamid Karzai takes a question during a press conference at Presidential Palace in Kabul, Oct. 11, 2009.   (AP Photo/Musadeq Sadeq)
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RogerMohajir
Oct 19, 09 5:36 PM CDT
"He is going to announce his intentions," Clinton said ... "I am going to let him do that... " Finally! An acknowledgment of who's really responsible for governing Afghanistan: the United States (whether we like it or not). Maybe it's time for Ms. Clinton to stop leaving Afghanistan matters to her subordinates, who have persisted in pretending that Karzai and his cronies are actually in charge. Reply
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divetrader
Oct 19, 09 6:24 PM CDT
Was there ever any question that Karzais government was a puppet? Bush created it and Obama has to deal with it. Here, take this puppet. Some of the strings are broken, but it still fools the people. Reply
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So_Cal_Larry
Oct 20, 09 1:27 AM CDT
We keep on demanding elections in places where they mean little to nothing. We would be much better off doing deals with all the players in Afghanistan. Bribe the Taliban, buy the poppy crop and destroy it, bribe and buy the war lords loyalty (just like in Iran). All that would cost less than the war, and trying to install a central government over all the tribes and warlords, which will likely never happen. Reply
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