Abdullah Abdullah

This shows that political expediency takes precedence over ethics and morality. We should all be ashamed of our leaders :O(

British and American officials rushed to congratulate Mr Karzai as the country's "legitimate leader" as the international community tried to draw a line under months of paralysing political limbo following the Aug 20 vote which was mired in fraud.

But London and Washington also made clear that they expect him to make immediate moves towards bolstering the ranks of the armed forces, tackling corruption and giving the defeated opposition a role within his new government.

FAIZABAD, Afghanistan — In this remote corner of northern Afghanistan, distances are measured in days. The only paved road lasts for less than a mile, and travel often takes place on the back of a donkey. Apply those qualities to an area the size of South Carolina, add in the topography of Colorado, and you get an election official’s nightmare, which is about how Sayed Masood saw it on Sunday, as he frantically prepared for the presidential election runoff on Nov. 7.

“There is very little time,” said Mr. Masood, the top election official in Badakhshan Province. “I have to hire 130 district coordinators by tomorrow.”

Afghanistan’s top forgery experts will engage in an election ‘run off’ to determine which religious lunatic will run the country for the next five years.

The forgers have until 7th November to create as many genuine-looking complete ballots as they can, mindful that they will have to pass UN inspection.

The previous round of forgeries eliminated the less skilled competitors, and all that are now left are the cream of Asian document counterfeiters representing the two presidential candidates.

Incumbent President, Hamid Karzai, is hoping his forger can secure 85% of the vote, whilst challenger Abdullah Abdullah feels confident his man will get him 75% of the vote.

KABUL: Taliban militants cut off the ink-stained fingers of two women Afghan voters in the south during the presidential election.

The voters who had dipped their index fingers in purple ink - a fraud prevention measure - were attacked in Kandahar province shortly after voting on Thursday, said Nader Nadery, the head of the Free and Fair Election Foundation of Afghanistan.

A spokesman for the militia denied the claims. Militants had warned they would cut off voters' ink-stained fingers before the election.

Election observers said the landmark polls were generally fair in the face of huge challenges, but admitted there were flaws and intimidation.