Who wants to become Afghanistan’s next president, anyway?

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Stars and Stripes, 4 April 2014

AAN's Kate Clark comments on the first democratic transfer of power in Afghanistan’s history: “It’s hugely important,” said Kate Clark analyst with the Kabul-based Afghanistan Analysts Network. “Hopefully it will institutionalize the idea that you have political change without assassination, revolution or war.” … 

“Fraud is inevitable,” Clark said. Afghans and the country’s international backers can accept some irregularities, as long as they are spread amongst the main candidates and don’t appear to tip the balance of the election.

“The issue for me is whether it’s blatantly one-sided, if the state machine is used for one candidate and will it be enough to change the election,” she said. “Also, if the results are close, accusations of fraud could cause serious problems with the legitimacy of any new leader.”