Afghan President Hamid Karzai may not be a saint or a statesman, but take a look at some of his predecessors, who were responsible for torture, slaughter, dictatorships and harbouring terrorists, says Bret Stephens. No wonder Afghans are “a collective sigh of relief”.
Afghanistan election 
Karzai vs. Abdullah: a 30-year saga of alliance and betrayal
The recent electoral stand-off between Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai and Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah is just the latest — and perhaps final — chapter in a conflict that has been going on between the two men for 30 years.
Afghanistan: Karzai wins. What now?
It’s over: Hamid Karzai has been declared the winner of Afghanistan’s Presidential election by default. After such a failure of democracy, what does it all mean for the future of Afghanistan and the war? Five experts weigh in.
Abdullah makes a martyr of himself, and a mockery of democracy
Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah decision to withdraw from the Presidential run-off against Hamid Karzai may have made him a political martyr, but it has hurt Afghanistan’s fledgling democracy, writes Michael O’Hanlon.
Why a one-candidate Afghan election isn’t as stupid as it sounds
A one-horse race in Afghanistan actually offers a unique opportunity, writes Abubakar Siddique: if the election is run with only Karzai, and few Afghanis bother to vote, his mandate will be so weak, co-operation with his political opponents will be vital to keep peace in the country.
Everybody loses
With Hamid Karzai being effectively handed the Afghan Presidency by default, everybody loses, says Simon Tisdall: the UN, Washington, democracy — and most of all, the people of Afghanistan.
Afghanistan: who’s in charge?
Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai’s opponent in the country’s Presidential election, Abdullah Abdullah, has pulled out of the run-off race. So what happens now? A one-horse race? A win by default? No-one seems to know.
What if Karzai wins? Can we trust him?
Even if Hamid Karzai manages to legitimately win the second Afghanistan election, questions around his trustworthiness and credibility still remain. Is he a reliable partner for foreign powers?
Afghanistan goes (back) to the polls
Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai has caved to international pressure and agreed to enter into a runoff election. But will a second election be any less fraudulent and corrupt?
Why a second election will be even more of a balls-up than the first
A nationwide vote instigated by Western power, in one of the world’s most impoverished countries, and organised in less than three weeks? Good luck with that, says Simon Tisdall.
How Clinton convinced Karzai to cave
Negotiations with Afghani President Hamid Karzai to enter into a runoff election have been underway for months, but according to the Times, it was a telephone call three days ago from Hillary Clinton that finally saw him relent.
Auditing the Afghan election
Renard Sexton gets wonky on the UN’s Afghanistan Election audit, concluding that “the situation remains fairly damning for Hamid Karzai”, with millions of votes to be thrown out due to fraud.
Fired UN rep speaks out: what I saw in Afghanistan
Peter Galbraith was fired from his post as the UN’s deputy special representative in Afghanistan last week, after refusing to keep quiet about the massive fraud in the country’s elections. Now he’s spilled all in the Washington Post.
Yes, the Afghan election was fraudulent. Now what?
Amid fraud allegations, Hamid Karzai has officially ‘won’ 54% of the votes in the Afghan election. Is it more important to maintain national stability or push for a vote recount?
Obama needs to review Afghanistan ASAP
Foreign troops in Afghanistan are increasingly being seen as foreign invaders, says a former US national security adviser. How can the US Alliance ensure it doesn’t repeat the Soviet Union’s mistakes in Afghanistan?
Will Afghan election prompt allies to withdraw troops?
International support is souring and a power struggle will emerge within Afghanistan, following the fraudulent Afghan election. With numerous world elections coming up, pressure is mounting on international leaders to stand firm against Afghanistan.
UN fraud commission throws out illegitimate Afghan votes
A UN backed fraud group has spoken out against “state engineered” voter fraud, declaring votes void and demanding recounts at hundreds of polling booths in the main provinces of President Hamid Karzai’s power base.
Afghan election fraud gives West a chance
Rather than refreshing Hamid Karzai’s leadership, the fraud filled election has weakened it. This leaves the West is left with a chance to guide Afghanistan in a more progressive direction.
Flawed Afghan elections produce the same result
President Hamid Karzai didn’t need to create the fraud and corruption evident in the Afghan election, particularly in his own province, to win power. He would have easily won the presidency legitimately.
Can Washington still work with Karzai?
Afghani President Hamid Karzai looks set for re-election, despite all signs pointing to a highly fraudulent election. But the US has a moral imperative to stick by Afgahnistan — and its leader, says Tim McGirk.
Afghan election stinks of fraud
Afghanistan’s election reeks of corruption, fraud and a tainted democracy, says William Maley.
Karzai on verge of victory
Hamid Karzai has passed the 50% threshold necessary to avoid a re-run in Afghanistan’s elections, and looks poised to be re-elected as President, despite widespread allegations of fraud.
Afghanistan’s fake election
Election officials in Afghanistan allege President Hamid Karzai created hundreds of fake polling booths during the recent election, recording hundreds of thousands of fraudulent ballots to re-elect the leader.
Time for Karzai to bow out
Even if Hamid Karzai is declared the winner of the Afghanistan election, his reputation is so far beyond repair, he must step down, says Amin Saikal. It is the only chance the country has at achieving stability and reconstruction.
Time for Karzai to step up the war on fraud
Allegations of fraud in the Afghanistan election mount. 23,900 forged votes. 2,187 complaints of fraud. President Hamid Karzai must sort this out or get dumped, says Malcolm Rifkind. He needs the West more than they need him.
