Afghans, U.S. commander say election success a big defeat for Taliban

AP ^ | 10/10/4 | STEPHEN GRAHAM

[SmithL]

KANDAHAR -- The Taliban vowed to turn the Afghan election into a day of bloodshed, but the rebels mounted only a smattering of small-scale attacks on police and civilians and a larger clash that left many of their own dead.

After months of what proved to be empty threats, military commanders and ordinary Afghans said Sunday the vote was a serious setback for the holdouts of the hard-line Islamic regime that was driven from power by U.S. bombs almost three years ago for harboring Osama bin Laden.

"Yesterday was a big defeat for the Taliban and a huge defeat for al-Qaida," Lt. Gen. David Barno, the top American commander in Afghanistan, told The Associated Press. "It shows that the political process is overwhelming any influence they may have."

Voters also said the Taliban had been exposed as weak.

[mylife]

in your face! Bin Laden!

[areafiftyone]

in your face, Girlimen Edwards and Kerry!!

[Dutch Boy]

That's two(2) elections won this week for liberty and freedom.

[M Kehoe]

I wish bin-Laden were alive to see the results.

5.56mm

[Right_in_Virginia]

Gee, I wonder if the successful free and democratic election in Afghanistan is part of the "mess" Edwards keeps referring to on the talk show circuit today.

[Elvis van Foster]

"After months of what proved to be empty threats . . ."

Yeah, empty threats that were over-publicized by the leftist media in this country. As usual, they made mountains out of molehills. Every Dem poster on political message boards were gleefully predicting massive bloodshed on election day.

Its logical to conclude that al Qaeda isn't much of a force in Afghanistan anymore, and even less in the US. The Election Day Big Bang that the left desires here on Nov 2 probably won't materialize either. Ashcroft seems to have been quietly going about doing his job.

I also suspect that once elections are held in Iraq, the "resistance" there will go limp.

[vbmoneyspender]

Abdul Hakim Latifi, a Taliban spokesman who last week warned that Afghans would be attacked if they voted, claimed Sunday that the rebels held back because "innocent civilians had been forced to go and vote."

LOL.

[JOE43270]

Hoo-rah

[MizSterious]

Well, yes, but never underestimate the power of 'rat spin. I turned off Fox in disgust this morning after heaing the 'rat Sanchez denigrating the entire Afghan election. Stand by for hearing how Karzai is just a US puppet, how the Afghans were forced to vote at US gunpoint and all the rest. I've never despised the Democrats as much as I do this morning.

[COBOL2Java]

Can't wait to hear Terry McAuliffe (aka "The Punk") spin this one.

[cake_crumb]

Some spin:

Opinion: A Flawed Success
Deutsche Welle, Germany

Chaotic taste of democracy in Kabul
Melbourne Herald Sun, Australia - 37 minutes ago

Marker ink that could leave a stain on Karzai's credibility Sydney Morning Herald (subscription), Australia - 1 hour ago

Even if the election had gone off without a hitch - which is more than we in the US can say of our OWN elections - the mass media would have cried "foul" and declared miserable failure.

[cake_crumb]

"Stand by for hearing how Karzai is just a US puppet, how the Afghans were forced to vote at US gunpoint and all the rest."

I'd look forward to something like that. The media has forgotten Afghanistan existed since the run up to military festibities in Iraq unless they can Quagmire a story or give a photo op to Hillary.

It's not a stretch to think the media's forgotten that there are UN peacekeeping forces in Afghanistan, including French, German and Canadian troops. Part of the peacekeeping forces' job is to provide security for things like elections.