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Ahead of Afghan presidential elections to be held on Saturday, allegations of US involvement in the event were reported one after another, leaving people an impression that the White House has something beyond normal interest in mind about the race.
It is well-known the US-led invasion in Afghanistan in 2001 ousted the Taliban regime. Up till now, more than 18,000 US troops have been deployed in Afghanistan to support the interim government headed by President Hamid Karzai.
Besides the military presence, the United States also offers Afghans a huge financial support in their reconstruction. At a Berlin conference on Afghanistan in April, international donors pledged to give Afghanistan US$8.2 billion in the coming three years. The United States alone pledged US$2.2 billion for next year, 1 billion more than promised previously. The new figure makes it the largest donor to the Asian country.
As a saying goes, "There is absolutely no such a thing in the world as love or hate without cause or reason." The US comprehensive support has unavoidably and reasonably resulted in public attention to the country's role in the Afghan elections.
Last month, US Ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad, "the most senior Afghan-American" and highest-ranking Muslim to serve in the Bush administration, was charged with trying to influence the Oct. 9 Afghan presidential elections.
"Several (Afghan presidential) candidates ... maintain that the US ambassador and his aides are pushing behind the scenes to ensure a convincing victory by the pro-American incumbent, President Hamid Karzai," reported the Los Angeles Times.
Although Khalilzad denied time and again the widespread perception that he was working behind the scene, urging candidates to drop out of the race and easing the way for Karzai, there is still wide speculation that Karzai will win the elections easily with the key help of Washington.
If it is true, perhaps what the White House is more worried about is worsening security problems that have long troubled the country. On the eve of the elections, the Pentagon sent a battalion of about 700 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to Afghanistan to patrol populated areas during the poll.
Taliban spokesman Abdul Latif Hakimi threatened early this week that all 18 candidates in the Afghan presidential race were "top targets" of attacks, "because they are running for the polls of a US-made election -- an election which will create a government in the interest of the Americans."
Leading US newspaper the Washington Post reported on Thursday that few candidates have ventured out of their home areas or held public rallies during most of the month-long campaign.
"At times, the entire process has seemed reduced to closed-door negotiations instead of an open contest among 18 candidates," the newspaper said.
Despite the presence of 18,000 US troops, 8,000 NATO troops, 17,000 Afghan soldiers and 28,000 policemen across the country, UN officials, US Embassy and other observers in Kabul have warned that violent attacks may occur on the election day.
However, it is encouraging to see the report that over 10.5 million Afghans, including millions of women and refugees outside Afghanistan, have registered to vote.
Such enthusiasm about the election apparently demonstrates the desire of the 25 million Afghan people to exercise their democratic rights, which will make it possible to overcome all difficulties on the way to democracy.
In this sense, it could be taken for granted that no matter what the US does, either manipulating the elections or standing idle, a democratic election will occur in Afghanistan soon or later.
(Xinhua News Agency October 9, 2004)
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