Afghan election hailed as a success - Polidicks

[url]http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-26908464[/url] [quote]Afghan and Western leaders have described Afghanistan's presidential election and the turnout as a success. The votes of more than seven million Afghans estimated to have taken part - out of an electorate of 12 million - are now being counted. The election commission has received 162 allegations of fraud after the poll marked by sporadic violence and reports of ballot-paper shortages. It marks the strife-torn nation's first transfer of power via the ballot box. Eight candidates are seeking to succeed President Hamid Karzai. A second round run-off between the top two contenders may be needed to decide the winner, correspondents say. Three million more people voted in this presidential election than in the previous one, in 2009. A massive operation was launched to thwart the Taliban, who had vowed to disrupt the election, and heavy rainfall may have depressed turnout in some areas.[/quote]

These are exellent news, i'm glad that the election worked almost flawlessly without Taliban interference.

~60% turnout is fantastic! That wouldn't have been thought of even 5years ago, due to the factional pressure.

Awesome, watch as the US continues to prop up and support puppet leaders in and around the Middle East to protect imperialist interests in the region..

[QUOTE=trotskyy;44467784]Awesome, watch as the US continues to prop up and support puppet leaders in and around the Middle East to protect imperialist interests in the region..[/QUOTE] Yeah, Afghanistan was so much better under taliban rule, amirite?

[QUOTE=trotskyy;44467784][B]I HATE AMERICA FOR BULLSHIT REASONS FROM PRE-2008! AM I COOL NOW?![/b][/QUOTE] ftfy

Sadly 20 innocent people died on election day.

Meanwhile we struggle to scrape 30% here. Without bombings.

On a sad note, how long until shit get's wrecked in Afghan again? I mean let's face it, almost a year after we thought we were done in Iraq and everything was good, shit blew up again.

[QUOTE=Killuah;44467989]Meanwhile we struggle to scrape 30% here. Without bombings.[/QUOTE] What?! Does that really happen in Germany, or are the FP flags lying..

[QUOTE=Killuah;44467989]Meanwhile we struggle to scrape 30% here. Without bombings.[/QUOTE] Gee I thought compulsory voting here was an unnecessary annoyance, but if voting isn't mandatory and voter turnout in a western nation's elections barely gets 30% then I'm glad that we are legally required to vote.

[QUOTE=Bradyns;44468044]What?! Does that really happen in Germany, or are the FP flags lying..[/QUOTE] Not in large elections, but I think it could happen if a local government election doesn't fall on the same day as a larger one. For the really large elections recent turnouts were a bit more than 70% which is still quite low.

It's quite interesting how a culture that's remained tribal for so long see success like this. Have you guys studied Afghan history?

[QUOTE=Pvt. Martin;44467995]On a sad note, how long until shit get's wrecked in Afghan again? I mean let's face it, almost a year after we thought we were done in Iraq and everything was good, shit blew up again.[/QUOTE] We don't know, really all we can do is let it blow up and fix itself

[QUOTE=Riller;44467811]Yeah, Afghanistan was so much better under taliban rule, amirite?[/QUOTE] or the communist rule before that, or the dictator before that

[QUOTE=trotskyy;44467784]Awesome, watch as the US continues to prop up and support puppet leaders in and around the Middle East to protect imperialist interests in the region..[/QUOTE] What imperialistic interests do we have in Afghanistan?

[QUOTE=ExplosiveCheese;44468349]It's quite interesting how a culture that's remained tribal for so long see success like this. Have you guys studied Afghan history?[/QUOTE] I've only read some of it, however i strongly agree with you. They've gone from being a clan-ruled country to a modern democratic country, sure they are still developing but stil...

[QUOTE=Sableye;44468774]or the communist rule before that, or the dictator before that[/QUOTE] At least in those days before the Taliban the country was progressive. Just look up Afghanistan 50's all the way through the 80's. [IMG]http://static.messynessychic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/womenafghanistan.jpg[/IMG]

[QUOTE=Bradyns;44467765]~60% turnout is fantastic! That wouldn't have been thought of even 5years ago, due to the factional pressure.[/QUOTE] It is amazing, it proves that despite all the terrible deaths that have happened over the last ten years progress is being made and Afghanistan is turning into a democracy. Its a good thing all those lives lost haven't (so far) been in vain. [editline]6th April 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=Niklas;44467877]Sadly 20 innocent people died on election day.[/QUOTE] As sad as it is, I heard one report suggest that less people were killed on the election day than on a normal day. [editline]6th April 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=Tamschi;44468327]Not in large elections, but I think it could happen if a local government election doesn't fall on the same day as a larger one. For the really large elections recent turnouts were a bit more than 70% which is still quite low.[/QUOTE] We have the same problem in the UK, if a local election happens out of sync with a general election it will get utterly terrible turnout. Same with EU elections. Its shocking really, there are people all over the world fighting and dying for the right to live in a democracy and decide who should be in power while a lot of people in countries where that is already possible throw away that right out of sheer laziness. [editline]6th April 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=ExplosiveCheese;44468349]It's quite interesting how a culture that's remained tribal for so long see success like this. Have you guys studied Afghan history?[/QUOTE] The way I see it (and some of the media seems to think so as well) is that they have united against a common enemy (ie the Taliban) which is even more impressive. Although I wouldn't be surprised to see the results split along tribal lines, similar to how in Iraq they were split along religious lines. [editline]6th April 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=Daniel Smith;44470055]At least in those days before the Taliban the country was progressive. Just look up Afghanistan 50's all the way through the 80's. [IMG]http://static.messynessychic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/womenafghanistan.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE] Assuming that is from the communist period then its not surprising, a system which is against religion is going to be a lot more progressive than a governing body which believes their religion makes women second class citizens.

[QUOTE=Antdawg;44468272]Gee I thought compulsory voting here was an unnecessary annoyance, but if voting isn't mandatory and voter turnout in a western nation's elections barely gets 30% then I'm glad that we are legally required to vote.[/QUOTE] No, because the 70% you are forcing to vote don't give a shit.

[QUOTE=Daniel Smith;44470055]At least in those days before the Taliban the country was progressive. Just look up Afghanistan 50's all the way through the 80's. [IMG]http://static.messynessychic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/womenafghanistan.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE] Wow, one photo represents the whole situation of the society! Please.

[QUOTE=Daniel Smith;44470055]At least in those days before the Taliban the country was progressive. Just look up Afghanistan 50's all the way through the 80's. [IMG]http://static.messynessychic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/womenafghanistan.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE] Large parts of Afghanistan have always been like that and larges parts of it have always been the dumpy, tribal villages that we see on TV.

[QUOTE=Explosions;44471358]Large parts of Afghanistan have always been like that and larges parts of it have always been the dumpy, tribal villages that we see on TV.[/QUOTE] They pissed off the tribals and they changed the society completely. Destroying all of the progressive leftist influences and enlightened Persian influences.

[QUOTE=Cutthecrap;44471335]Wow, one photo represents the whole situation of the society! Please.[/QUOTE] Wow, one second of research could have yielded you thousands of pictures! [url]http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2013/07/afghanistan-in-the-1950s-and-60s/100544/[/url]

[QUOTE=Daniel Smith;44470055]At least in those days before the Taliban the country was progressive. Just look up Afghanistan 50's all the way through the 80's. [IMG]http://static.messynessychic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/womenafghanistan.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE] the taliban ruled the country from the late 90s through the 2002 invasion.... before that they were ruled by a communist goverment that seized power in the 80s, before that a dictatorship who seized power from a 80 year royal dynasty who seized power from the british who seized power from the first guy to declaire afghanistan an independent country after seizing power from the persians [editline]6th April 2014[/editline] see a pattern here? its amazing that they haven't had another military coup, the only thing stopping them is the few thousand american troops that could sweep out of the bases and take back the goverment in a moments notice

[QUOTE=Killuah;44467989]Meanwhile we struggle to scrape 30% here. Without bombings.[/QUOTE] Give them 200 years, they'll be the same way. I mean seriously, do you not understand why the election turnout would be high for their first ever election that they can actually vote in with relative safety?

[QUOTE=Cutthecrap;44471335]Wow, one photo represents the whole situation of the society! Please.[/QUOTE] If you mean the situation of that society from [b]1950[/b]. Then yeah it represents it well I suppose. [editline]6th April 2014[/editline] [QUOTE=ilikecorn;44469223]The afghan army is actually pretty competent now, their court systems are functioning properly, and their government as a whole is pretty decent. They might not ever revert to pre 2001 status.[/QUOTE] Well still, that crap that happened in Iraq not long after we left, put a bad taste in my mouth. Not saying there's no hope and shit will get back again, but you never know for certain. High hopes though.

[QUOTE=ilikecorn;44469223]The afghan army is actually pretty competent now, their court systems are functioning properly, and their government as a whole is pretty decent. They might not ever revert to pre 2001 status.[/QUOTE] Well, there's still a few kinks to work out. To name one problem, there's friction between senior and junior officers regarding how command and control should be handled. The soviet-trained higher ups are sticking with the doctrine of keeping a strong, centralized command and micromanaging everything. The younger, junior, officers on the other hand have really taken to the individual initiative-focused training given to them by the US. It's causing some C&C and discipline problems. They're working it out though.

[QUOTE=Sableye;44472903]the taliban ruled the country from the late 90s through the 2002 invasion.... before that they were ruled by a communist goverment that seized power in the 80s, before that a dictatorship who seized power from a 80 year royal dynasty who seized power from the british who seized power from the first guy to declaire afghanistan an independent country after seizing power from the persians [editline]6th April 2014[/editline] see a pattern here? its amazing that they haven't had another military coup, the only thing stopping them is the few thousand american troops that could sweep out of the bases and take back the goverment in a moments notice[/QUOTE] And don't forget all the UN forces as well, ready to go in as backup. If they wanted the american and international forces could easily gather up at Kabul and seal it off from the Talibans.

[QUOTE=Riller;44467811]Yeah, Afghanistan was so much better under taliban rule, amirite?[/QUOTE] Thank god there is nobody to blame for that, except the taliban of course.