Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 26, 2009
| Subscribe to Newser's RSS feeds RSS | Follow Newser on Twitter Twitter


 UPDATED 
12

Runoff Canceled; Karzai Named Victor

Second term a done deal after opponent dropped out

Share

(AP) – Afghanistan's Karzai-appointed Independent Election Commission proclaimed President Hamid Karzai the victor of the war-ravaged nation's tumultuous ballot today, canceling a planned runoff two and a half months after a fraud-marred first round. The news came a day after his challenger, Abdullah Abdullah, dropped out of the runoff, and hours after UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon arrived in Kabul on a surprise visit, as international pressure mounted for a quick resolution to the country's electoral turmoil.

The cancellation of the weekend vote will be a huge relief to organizers, who were scrambling to hold the election before the onset of Afghanistan's harsh winter, which was likely to close roads in the north and prevent voters from casting ballots. A bigger fear was security: A Taliban spokesman had threatened violence against anyone who took part.

An election poster of Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai is seen as supporters of challenger Abdullah Abdullah leave a gathering in which Abdullah announced his withdrawal from the runoff election.
An election poster of Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai is seen as supporters of challenger Abdullah Abdullah leave a gathering in which Abdullah announced his withdrawal from the runoff election.   (Musadeq Sadeq)
Afghanistan's presidential challenger Abdullah Abdullah after he announced his decision not to participate in Afghanistan's runoff in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009.
Afghanistan's presidential challenger Abdullah Abdullah after he announced his decision not to participate in Afghanistan's runoff in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009.   (Musadeq Sadeq)
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon inspects Afghanistan's honor guard with President Hamid Karzai in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Nov. 2, 2009. The UN chief made a surprise visit to Afghanistan today.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon inspects Afghanistan's honor guard with President Hamid Karzai in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Nov. 2, 2009. The UN chief made a surprise visit to Afghanistan today.   (Musadeq Sadeq)
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Afghan President Hamid Karzai shake hands upon arrival at the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Nov. 2, 2009.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Afghan President Hamid Karzai shake hands upon arrival at the presidential palace in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Nov. 2, 2009.   (Musadeq Sadeq)
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon waves upon arrival at the presidential palace with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, left in foreground, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Nov. 2, 2009.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon waves upon arrival at the presidential palace with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, left in foreground, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Monday, Nov. 2, 2009.   (Musadeq Sadeq)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
OFF THE GRID
11.24.09
Murdoch and Microsoft: The Mice Are Trying to Roar
11.23.09
Books Are Bad for You
12 comments
VIEWING:
 
Netstorm2k9
Nov 2, 09 7:00 AM CST
Yah, there's nothing wrong with this at all....::rollseyes right out of head. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+3
IN RESPONSE:
DontLikeYou
Nov 2, 09 7:11 AM CST
Why does this make the leftists angry? The challenger dropped out. It is legitimate. Amazing.
Vote up! Vote down!
-1
IN RESPONSE:
Netstorm2k9
Nov 2, 09 7:29 AM CST
First of all, I'm not a leftist. I thought you knew that. Secondly, this whole thing was a debacle from beginning to end. Legitimate? In what way was this election legitimate?
Vote up! Vote down!
+2
IN RESPONSE:
BoZo
Nov 2, 09 10:29 AM CST
GTFO DLY! Seriously, how is this even remotely legitimate? I guess when Bush stole the election, that was legitimate too?
Vote up! Vote down!
+2
RogerMohajir
Nov 2, 09 7:04 AM CST
The US can no longer pretend that we're "stuck with" Karzai because he's the Afghan people's choice. A fraudulent preliminary election followed by a canceled run-off make it clear that there is no democracy at work in Afghanistan. Karzai rules because the United States chooses that he rules. From here onward, his corruption is our corruption, his incompetence is our incompetence, and his failure to create a functional government is our failure. Our soldiers fighting in Afghanistan deserve better than what the folks in Washington are doing for them. It is time to leave, if Karzai is the best we have to offer. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+5

View all 12 comments »

LEAVE A
COMMENT Comment Policy
Facebook ConnectPost this comment to Facebook?

After connecting you will have the option to post your comment on your Facebook profile.

 

Related Newser Stories

837 Stories

 US Seeks 10K Allied 
 Troops in Afghanistan 

Grumbling nations only want to provide half

2 hours, 1 minute ago
(Newser) - The US is struggling to convince its allies to commit 10,000 more troops to the war in Afghanistan, according to federal sources. Allied leaders are willing to provide only half that figure for an operation increasingly unpopular with their citizens, particularly amid concerns about corruption in the Afghan government.... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Afghanistan • NATO • Germany • France • US military • Netherlands • British troops • Britain • Afghanistan war • President Obama • allied troops • war in Afghanistan

Analysis

 Obama Is the Anti-Cowboy 

Slow decision on Afghanistan a contrast from Bush's gut checks

Nov 25, 09 9:26 AM CST
(Newser) - Barack Obama’s prolonged Afghanistan strategy review has if nothing else distinguished him from his predecessor—Obama is anything but the “gut player” Dubya claimed to be. In fact, he’s put on “a spectacle of deliberation unlike anything seen in the White House in recent memory,”... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Afghanistan • Barack Obama • Afghanistan war • strategy • President Obama • Afghanistan exit strategy

Fresh Troops to Target Afghanistan's Troubled South

Kandahar key in coming Afghan surge

Nov 25, 09 7:54 AM CST
(Newser) - Though President Obama has yet to announce his plan for finishing the job in Afghanistan, military commanders say the bulk of the fresh troops—regardless of their number—will be sent to the country's volatile south to reverse Taliban gains, specifically targeting the Taliban stronghold of Kandahar. The coming surge... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Afghanistan • Taliban • Kandahar • Helmand province • Afghanistan war • Afghanistan exit strategy

837 Stories

Copyright 2009 Newser, LLC. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. AP contributed to this report.



World 
TwitterFollow @NewserWorld on Twitter

 
Afghanistan • Hamid Karzai • Abdullah Abdullah • Afghan election

from our news partners