Speaking to approximately 2,000 military men, the president has warned that they are set to face “difficult days” in the fight against the Taliban rebels. He said: “We face a determined enemy. But we also know this: The United States of America does not quit once it starts on something”.

Obama’s visit took place during a crucial moment for both the government of Karzai and the US-headed military alliance.

After the victorious campaign in the Helmand Province, the US forces are gearing up for a more critical assignment in Kandahar, which is regarded as the Taliban’s spiritual birthplace in the southern part of Afghanistan.

Seventy-seven American soldiers have already died this year in Afghanistan, which is more than those killed during the initial three months of 2009.

Karzai is currently getting ready to conduct a countrywide conference in April to tackle ways to end the war, probably by holding peace negotiations with the leaders of the Taliban.

Obama addressed the American soldiers, saying that their chief duty is to “reverse the Taliban’s momentum” and also to dismantle, disrupt and “destroy Al Qaeda and its extremist allies”.

After Obama’s meeting with Karzai, he told reporters that Americans are positive about the development in Afghanistan. However, he pointed out that more works lie ahead.

“Good governance—that’s what I want”, Karzai said during the inaugural ceremony that started off another five years of him as the country’s head.

With 800 guests gathered in the presidential palace in Kabul, Karzai said, “Corruption is a very dangerous enemy of the state”.

The Afghan leader also said that corrupt government officials should be indicted. He also associated graft practises to the drug trade in Afghanistan.

“It is our duty to tackle drug traffickers and punish those people who are cultivating poppies”, Karzai said.

Intense security was observed all over the city for fears of possible attacks from the Taliban.

“I am sorry if I have not fulfilled anything I have promised”, Karzai said in the presence US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was seated at the front row.

The White House has shown its concern over Karzai’s capability and has increased pressure to cleanse his country of corruption in order to fight the growing insurgency by the Taliban.

Karzai also expressed gratitude to NATO allies for their efforts in strengthening peace. He also said that he foresaw Afghanistan’s security to be the army and police’s responsibility within five years.

His inauguration was swamped in controversy after winning the 20 August election that was considered to be marred with ballot stuffing.

Karzai is set to respond to this investigation by the UN-backed panel. Sources said that following the claims made, the Afghan president has agreed to follow the constitution after being encouraged by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.

Aleem Siddique, a UN spokesman, expressed his faith in the ECC and praised the institution for the work done during the elections in August. He also said that the Independent Election Commission (IEC), previously accused of delaying the election process to allow Karzai to reach an agreement with Abdullah in order to avoid a run-off, should follow the orders of the EEC “so that we can move towards a final certified result or to a runoff if that’s required”.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that Karzai will speak on Tuesday of his intentions in response to the claim made by the ECC. Though Clinton has not confirmed what Karzai’s response will be, she said that she was “encouraged at the direction that the situation is moving”. She also expressed her hopes for Afghanistan to attain political stability “in line with the constitutional order”.

Washington issued a statement during the weekend that the decision of the White House to send more troops to Afghanistan will depend on the outcome of the political situation in the country.

Image: World Economic Forum

Results of a “final but preliminary” count from the recent presidential election in Afghanistan shows the incumbent president’s triumph over his toughest opponent.

Afghanistan’s government-assigned Independent Election Commission has already released the complete yet uncertified results of the election which indicate the victory of President Hamid Karzai over former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah.

The final preliminary results attribute 54% of the ballots for the incumbent and less than 28% for the former foreign minister.

Chief Electoral Officer Daoud Ali Najafi announced the vote counts to the press.

He said, “Abdullah Abdullah has received 1,571,581 votes. Hamid Karzai has received 3,093,256 votes”.

The campaign supporters of Abdullah complained that the incumbent’s followers had manipulated the election, an accusation that has garnered attention from neutral parties.

The Election Complaints Commission has urged a recount in about ten percent of the voting stations across the country. The ECC, which is dominated by UN appointees, released the order to the Election Commission after it had received serious fraud allegations such as stuffing of ballot boxes.

Election observers from the European Union doubt the validity of around one-third of the total ballots, which is about 1.5 million. They informed the Kabul press that these disputed ballots contain 300,000 ballots that voted for Abdullah and 1.1 million for Karzai.

But supporters of Karzai regard the comments of the EU observers as “irresponsible”. They are hoping that even after the disputed ballots are discarded, their leader will still get over 50% of the total votes.

Meanwhile, EU observer and team leader Phillippe Morillon advises Karzai’s camp to defer their announcement of victory.

That is the official stand of Daud Najafi, Election Commission chief electoral officer, in response to the allegation. The officer addressed the issue in a press conference on 8 September 2009.

With only two days before the final release of the preliminary total votes, President Hamid Karzai congratulated the commission “for its efforts in pursuing the process in an impartial and faithful national spirit”.

However, the president’s toughest contender, who is behind with 28% of the preliminary votes, is questioning the reliability of the commission and commented that the government-appointed agency is not impartial or independent.

Abdullah, a former foreign minister and presidential candidate, says that he will never accept the results, which he declares have been collected fraudulently.

Of the 92% preliminary results, President Karzai got 54% of the votes.

Noor Mohammad Noor, IEC spokesman, has denied the minister’s allegation of bending to political pressures and including tainted ballots for the incumbent president.

He said, “No, that is not true. Our colleagues are not under pressure. And, according to my knowledge, they are going just normal with our procedures, our Constitution and also with election law”.