Karzai Defends Afghanistan Election as Honest; Diplomats Uneasy

[tekisui]

Source: Reuters

KABUL (Reuters) - Incumbent Hamid Karzai defended last month's Afghan presidential election as honest on Wednesday, a day after returns showed him on course to win in a single round but a U.N-backed panel also ordered a partial recount over fraud.

The standoff has alarmed Western leaders who have risked their own political capital to send troops on an increasingly unpopular mission to defend a government led by a president who seems eager to accept a potentially dubious election victory.

Preliminary election results issued Tuesday gave Karzai more than 54 percent of valid votes tallied, putting him above the 50 percent threshold needed to avoid a runoff with his closest rival, former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah.

Throwing the election's credibility into doubt, the independent Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC), appointed mainly by the United Nations, said it had found "clear and convincing" evidence of fraud and ordered a partial recount.

In a statement Wednesday, Karzai praised the conduct of the August 20 vote.

"The president praised the (election officials) for holding the election with honesty and impartiality despite all the difficulties," the presidential palace said in a statement.

more: http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSISL12983720090909

[hobbit709]

1. He HAS to say that

The alternative is admitting to fraud and theft and being out of his cushy job as "Mayor of Kabul".
I wouldn't sell him any life insurance right about now