Farrrukh's Note: Obama's War and The Afghan Elections

The recently concluded violence marred elections in Afghanistan have proved nothing but the fact that Afghanistan is still in a state of chaos even after 8 years of coalition forces' occupation. Preliminary election results suggest Hamid Karzai is slightly ahead of his main opponent, Abdullah Abdullah- who coincidentally served under Karzai for more than three years as Foreign minister. President Obama congratulated the Afghans on a historic election. However, anyone who thought these elections would be held in a transparent manner, were simply naive, for lack of a kinder term. Immediately following the elections Abdullah, who seems to be the new blue-eyed of western forces, addressed a packed news conference alleging massive fraud in the elections.



His allegations should not be the base for questioning the credibility of these elections as the atmosphere in Afghanistan is anarchic. The Taliban called for a complete boycott of the electoral process, but the Afghans didn't need the Taliban to tell them to boycott these elections as the entire setup in Kabul is seen as an extension of the international boots on ground.

There were murmurs and hints preceding the elctions in the media that a run off is expected between Karzai and Abdullah. Coincedentally that seems most likely as Karzai is leading with 44 % and Abdullah with 36 % according to unconfirmed reports. As per the Afghan electoral process if one candidate fails to gain 50 % of the vote a run is necessary. Richard Hoolbrooke, the United States' ambassadir for Afghanistan and Pakistan also happened to be in the region and was in Afghanistan on election day. He met with Karzai following the elections, in what is being described as a very tense meeting after Hoolbrooke brought up the rigging allegations.

Karzai wants to get rid of the American poodle label which is why he is often seen weeping in public over civilian deaths. And now his defiance in a meeting with Hoolbrooke suggests he is in a hurry to become an 'independent Afghan.'

Gen. McCrystal, the new American commander in Afghanistan is conducting a review for the Afghan war, after 8 years if the American commanders are still conducting reviews it shows the problems they are having in dealing with the Taliban there.