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PashtoMashtoLeaks (1): Bagram Calling

Yesterday, the BBC reported as follows: ‘President Barack Obama has told US troops in Afghanistan they are making crucial “progress” against insurgents. During an unannounced visit to Bagram air base near Kabul, Mr Obama said: “Today we can be proud that there are fewer areas under Taliban control.” He also spoke to President Hamid Karzai […]

4 Dec 2010 AAN Team • Political Landscape

2010 Election (39): Ghazni’s Election Drama – It’s the System (amended)

The IEC has announced the eagerly awaited result for Ghazni, which were the last of the outstanding Wolesi Jirga seats. At the same time, IEC chairman Manawi informed that this was ‘the final duty of the IEC regarding the parliamentary elections’ of 2010. This also means that he is planning not to deal with any […]

2 Dec 2010 Thomas Ruttig • Political Landscape

2010 Election (38): Who is coming from Baghlan?

The disqualification of votes by he IEC affected the outcome of the 18 September election a great deal in Baghlan province, too. It seems that some strong Pashtun candidates’s success has been hindered in particular. At a time when supporters of two disqualified candidates are organising extensive demonstrations and blockades on the Kabul–Mazar-e Sharif highway, […]

1 Dec 2010 Gran Hewad • Political Landscape

30 Nov/ 3 Dec, Saba TV Kabul: Vendrell in interview

AAN’s Advisory Board chairman and former UN and EU special envoy to Afghanistan, Francesc Vendrell, will be on Saba TV’s (Kabul) ’30 Minutes’ programme, in an exclusive interview together with Pakistani writer and journalist Ahmad Rashid — tonight Tuesday Nov 30 at 8:30 PM and rebroadcast on Dec 3 at 9:30 PM on SABA Television. […]

30 Nov 2010 AAN • admin • Events

Afghan Government Declares Kabul Smog Holiday

From tomorrow, 1 December, until the end of the Afghan year (20 March), Kabul will enjoy a proper, two-day weekend. Every Thursday, government offices will be closed and workers asked to stay at home. But it is not a social achievement – it is a smog-induced extra holiday, an attempt to give this polluted city […]

30 Nov 2010 Kate Clark • Rights and Freedoms

2010 Elections (37): What’s in a name? – The Results

Just days before September’s elections, AAN made the rash prediction that it would be interesting to see how the brothers, daughters and sons of the rich and famous would do in the polls. We had noticed just how many were running – a brother of Vice-President Khalili, two cousins of President Karzai, a brother of […]

30 Nov 2010 Kate Clark • Political Landscape

2010 Elections (36): The Post-Election Protest Wave

Just when the first round of protests staged by parliamentary candidates who did not find their names in the winning preliminary results was waning, a conspicuous new round of disqualifications and then the announcement of the final results have poured fresh gasoline on the fire. The dramatic intervention of the Attorney General has stoked the […]

29 Nov 2010 Other AAN • Political Landscape

Nine Years and Fifty Days

Unfortunately, I do not have much time to follow the Afghan press – and even less the many Afghan TV and radio stations. But it is worth tuning in – and if it is only to be reminded of a historical coincidence. So, here a few impressions on what I picked up over the past […]

28 Nov 2010 Thomas Ruttig • Context and Culture

2010 Elections (35): How the West was won

The controversial final results of the parliamentary elections are out, and it is time to look at the impact of the decisions made by the Electoral Complaints Commission (ECC), even though it is still not clear to what extent the Attorney General’s interventions will be able to affect the final tally. AAN analyst Fabrizio Foschini […]

27 Nov 2010 Fabrizio Foschini • Political Landscape

2010 Elections (34): Glossing over and moving on

Yesterday, on 24 November, the Independent Election Commission (IEC) announced the final results for all but one of the Parliament’s constituencies. The UN and US were quick to welcome the move, having been desperate to do so for weeks. The message is clear and is by now a familiar one: ‘The process was messy, it […]

26 Nov 2010 Martine van Bijlert • Political Landscape