Media Summary

October 31, 2010

Update: IEC rejects FEFA's claims about the invalidation of votes, saying that they were cancelled because they were confirmed to be fraudulent—either because of ballot stuffing, or because they were cast where no election had taken place. The IEC spokesman is quoted by one publication as saying the results might be announced towards the end of November.

October 30, 2010

News Summary, Oct 30

Update: Karzai accuses NATO of abusing Afghanistan's sovereignty with its drug raid in collaboration with Russia; Iran is playing a double game, says Petraeus, as Newsweek says that Iranian payments to the Afghan government go far beyond the president's office. Holbrooke plays down talks with the Taliban, but talks up a recent trade agreement between Afghanistan and Pakistan as a "political breakthrough."

October 29, 2010

News Summary, Oct 29

Update: More commentary on the discarded votes, and stories suggesting that supply lines between Afghanistan and Pakistan remain insecure, and one from Jerome Starkey that President Karzai is determined to push ahead with the ban on foreign security firms.

October 28, 2010

News Summary, Oct 28

Update: The ECC disqualifies more candidates and annuls more polling stations. The IEC comes under scrutiny for its decision to cancel votes from hundreds of polling centers, while commentaries talk of the Wolesi Jirga being filled with warlords.

October 27, 2010

News Summary, Oct 27

Update: Local media carries reports of, and responses to, comments by President Hamid Karzai about the election, as well as reports of continuing protests in Herat—this time by a winning candidate who was disqualified for failing to resign his government post.

October 26, 2010

News Summary, Oct 26

A reminder that we're still updating our website at Afghan2010.com where you can also find old summaries. Media are welcome to contact us and we'll try to help. Best to email me at [email protected] .

October 25, 2010

News Summary, Oct 25

Update: Some analysis of the IEC's preliminary results raises questions about, among other things, turnout; Karzai brushes off reports that he accepted bags of cash from Irank saying the U.S. gave him money too, and accusing the New York Times of defaming him because of his decree on foreign security firms.

October 24, 2010

News Summary, Oct 24

Update: the ECC delists the winning candidate in Herat for failing to resign his government post; disgruntled candidates take IEC officials hostage in western Ghor, while another group plans to issue a declaration demanding action over their complaints about the election. More talk about talks: The NYT says Iran is trying to buy influence, while the Telegraph says the Northern Alliance, fearing a Taliban return to power, are preparing to rearm.

Afghanistan – Election

October 23, 2010

News Summary, Oct 23

Update: Militants storm a UN office in or near Herat; a NYT photographer is seriously wounded in Kandahar; Pakistan's prime minister confirms he's not in the loop on talks with the Taliban.

Afghanistan – Election

October 22, 2010

News Summary, Oct 22

Update: Some media quote officials on both sides openly questioning whether there are any peace talks going on. Closer inspection of the preliminary Wolesi Jirga results reveals the biggest vote winner, by more than 10,000 ballots, was Tarakhel Muhammadi, a Kuchi.