BRIEFS
AFGHANISTAN: Karzai Agrees to Runoff Election
William Buttner II
Issue date: 10/28/09 Section: Eagle Eye
Summary: Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has agreed to a runoff election against opposition leader Abdullah Abdullah under intense pressure from the U.S. and allied NATO forces.
Development: Due to recent controversy over the fraudulent ballots in the presidential election, Afghanistan's presidency will be decided in a runoff election held on Nov. 7. This follows the report of the U.N.-backed elections committee that discredited more than a third of the votes for President Hamid Karzai. Under Article 17, Section Two of the Electoral Law: "If no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the valid votes cast in the election, a runoff election shall be held between the two candidates who received the most votes within two weeks of the election results announcement. The candidate receiving the most valid votes in the runoff election shall be declared elected." This provides an opportunity for the main opposition leader, Abdullah Abdullah, to amass support for the runoff election by Nov. 7. Karzai conceded the point of the U.N. commission, stating he had no role in fraudulent activities. He continued by thanking the international community for their ongoing help in counterterrorism operations. The runoff comes as Washington has yet to make a decision on troop increases.
Analysis: The current tactical and strategic situation in Afghanistan has continued to be a complex issue to Generals Petraeus and McChrystal, but has become more faceted with the election runoff. Both generals have selected a three phase counter-insurgency war that will establish Afghanistan as a democracy and overwhelm the Taliban. Until the runoff election has been completed, President Obama will continue to delay his decision on the U.S. troop surge. This delay postpones the implementation of a new strategy by Allied commanders. As for the election, Karzai's newfound "statesmanship" has been at the behest of senior Allied leaders, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, U.S. Senator John Kerry, and U.N. Special Representative Kai Eide, who claimed Kabul would lose Allied support if Karzai did not agree to the runoff. While the western powers forced Karzai nto a runoff election, his compliance is likely for the sole purpose of keeping the foreign counterinsurgency operation going.
Development: Due to recent controversy over the fraudulent ballots in the presidential election, Afghanistan's presidency will be decided in a runoff election held on Nov. 7. This follows the report of the U.N.-backed elections committee that discredited more than a third of the votes for President Hamid Karzai. Under Article 17, Section Two of the Electoral Law: "If no candidate wins more than 50 percent of the valid votes cast in the election, a runoff election shall be held between the two candidates who received the most votes within two weeks of the election results announcement. The candidate receiving the most valid votes in the runoff election shall be declared elected." This provides an opportunity for the main opposition leader, Abdullah Abdullah, to amass support for the runoff election by Nov. 7. Karzai conceded the point of the U.N. commission, stating he had no role in fraudulent activities. He continued by thanking the international community for their ongoing help in counterterrorism operations. The runoff comes as Washington has yet to make a decision on troop increases.
Analysis: The current tactical and strategic situation in Afghanistan has continued to be a complex issue to Generals Petraeus and McChrystal, but has become more faceted with the election runoff. Both generals have selected a three phase counter-insurgency war that will establish Afghanistan as a democracy and overwhelm the Taliban. Until the runoff election has been completed, President Obama will continue to delay his decision on the U.S. troop surge. This delay postpones the implementation of a new strategy by Allied commanders. As for the election, Karzai's newfound "statesmanship" has been at the behest of senior Allied leaders, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown, U.S. Senator John Kerry, and U.N. Special Representative Kai Eide, who claimed Kabul would lose Allied support if Karzai did not agree to the runoff. While the western powers forced Karzai nto a runoff election, his compliance is likely for the sole purpose of keeping the foreign counterinsurgency operation going.
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