Meddling in Afghan elections
Foreigners are “making a mockery” of our presidential election, said Afghanistan’s Weesa in an editorial.
Foreigners are “making a mockery” of our presidential election, said Afghanistan’s Weesa in an editorial. More than 90 percent of the ballots from last month’s vote have now been counted, and the winner was undeniably the incumbent, President Hamid Karzai, with well over 50 percent of the vote. But that fact has yet to be acknowledged, because the Electoral Complaints Commission refuses to certify the results, claiming it has to investigate allegations of fraud. The commission has just five members, three of whom are foreigners—an American, a Canadian, and a Dutchman. How can we say we have a democracy “when millions of people voted to determine their destiny but the legitimacy of their votes depends on three foreigners?” There’s a word for this kind of abuse: colonialism.
It certainly looks like “a conspiracy” to deny Pashtuns their vote, said Hewad. The Electoral Complaints Commission has challenged votes mainly in Pashtun-dominated provinces in the southeast. If there was fraud, it’s the Americans’ fault. They promised to send extra troops to ensure security at the polls, but then failed to do so. Instead, “they deliberately created a tense atmosphere” so people would be afraid to vote. “Their objective was to deprive Pashtuns of taking part in elections and then accuse them of not being committed to democracy.” This is hardly surprising, given that the Americans have been gunning for the Pashtuns since the beginning of the occupation. Pashtun areas have been bombed and “Pashtun children have been massacred” many times over the past years, all in the name of the U.S. “war on terror.”
That’s why it’s time for the Americans to leave, said Rah-e Nejat. After eight years of “fruitless combat,” the U.S. has not managed to defeat the Taliban or al Qaida. In fact, both movements have grown stronger, thanks to “the mistakes and wrong policies of the U.S. and its allies.” U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates tells us that more time is needed and that the Obama administration hasn’t been in power long enough to effect a turnaround. But Afghans are out of patience. “Incautious, cold-blooded, and failed activities by the foreign forces have resulted in massive and merciless killings of civilians.” And now the election debacle has proved that the Americans can’t help us build a civil society either. We’ve had enough. The Americans should “make an exit schedule for their troops and let Afghans deal with our own problems.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Trump's actions cut a wide swath across Hawaii's economy
In Depth The state's tourism and farming sectors are two of the largest hit industries
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
5 immersive books to read this April for a brief escape
The Week Recommends A dystopian tale takes us to the library, a journalist's ode to her refugee parents and more
By Theara Coleman, The Week US Published
-
'The winners and losers of AI may not be where we expect'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
By The Week Staff Published
-
'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?
Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Democrats vs. Republicans: who are the billionaires backing?
The Explainer Younger tech titans join 'boys' club throwing money and support' behind President Trump, while older plutocrats quietly rebuke new administration
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
By The Week UK Published
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published