Karzai accuses election fraud investigators of hurting the economy

Coming to the only logical conclusion possible, President Karzai accused election monitors in charge of the recount with hurting the Afghan economy. After a report attributed an increase in crime, particularly kidnapping, to a $20 million drop in revenues in the last two months, the Karzai administration bizarrely accused election regulators of hurting investment in the country, and encouraged them to speed up the recount process. Election results are expected by the end of the week, though the U.S already seems to have thrown in its lot behind Karzai.

In a related story, the election commission, appointed by embattled U.N offical Kai Eide, who has recently been accused by his departed deputy of turning a blind eye to widespread fraud, has come up with a convoluted set of rules that may seal the win for President Karzai. I just stared at the rules for ten minutes and they made my head hurt. The results are supposed to be announced later this week, and I can assure you they will not inspire confidence in the people of Afghanistan or Karzai critics abroad.