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Abdullah spoke from his villa in Kabul, the capital, criticizing Karzai's handling of the election, and promising to challenge the results. Here are excerpts from that interview
Q. What are your plans?
(Complete) results will be announced in three weeks time … The announcement should come from the Independent Elections Commission…. Before that, these complaints have to be processed …. We have a lot of complaints …. Finally, if that happens — our complaints were dealt with and we're satisfied with the conduct of the … commission and so on, he (Karzai) announces he has won, I'll say, 'Congratulations.'
What I wouldn't congratulate him on is the fact that he allowed widespread rigging to take place. I put it mildly: I should have said that he ordered, but he allowed it.
Q. Did he order it?
I think this is happening under his eyes. He knows it very well. He is well aware of what is going on with his … brother in Kandahar and the other people (who) are doing this. It is so widespread... In this he hasn't done a service, neither to himself, nor to the country, nor to the people. This will be my disappointment. Other than that, life will go on. I already campaigned vigorously. I already led a national movement which crossed ethnic lines, factional lines, religious lines … .
If he was able to bring people around him it was based on the deals. He sacrificed their governments. He sacrificed many things in this country by making those deals … I started in my parents house, my campaign, and then I took it to the whole country and now the whole country is hopeful that there will be a change.
There are areas where the turnout has been unfortunately very low, like in (the south) … By all estimates they say it's 5% to 10% in Kandahar, Helmand, Uruzgon, Paktya, Paktika, Khost, Ghazni. If in the calculation we see that the turnout in these areas is showing like 30% then this is a big question … .
I think he, by appointing those people which he knew what they would do and asked them to, 'Get me elected. Get me elected,' he released drug traffickers in this process. He made deals like the final deals with Gen.Dostum (a warlord who returned to Afghanistan from exile) … The people who he appointed in charge of his campaign, the government officials which are still ministers but they are also in charge of campaign … .
The Bush administration made a big blunder by just not listening to the people of Afghanistan, just as if he's an innocent person surrounded by bad people. This is not the case …. Our monitors were stopped by the government officials. One person, which is the second in charge of the Border Guard, he took charge of the whole election process in six districts in Kandahar …. Everything happened under his supervision, not under the IEC supervision in six districts …. In Ghazni until this morning … boxes were being stuffed. Stuffing the boxes has been widespread in Paktya, Paktika, Kandahar … .
Q. Are you going to tell your people, 'Stay out of the streets' ?
I will, I will. Unfortunately, I will. I know how fragile this situation is.
Do you think there will be a runoff?
If even today in the morning the people are stuffing the boxes it's very difficult to guess. It should have been stopped the day before yesterday.
Q. What happens if President Karzai comes out with 51% after the end of this process?
I know what has happened. I will accept that. … This is what it is. Otherwise this country could go into turmoil. If I continue to challenge this up to the end, which is something one has to do in democratic systems, until you're satisfied it is legitimate. You lose an illegitimate process that's not a loss. It's not just you: millions of people in the country. But here one has to accept that finally. I will not go beyond that.
Q. What was your message to Ambassador Richard Holbrooke?
I expressed my broad concerns. I am assuring everybody of my commitment to the national interests. At the same time my concerns about the process and how important it is to the credibility to the process. He assured me of the support for the process. This is different from what was happening in the last round of elections in 2004. That one was in support of President Karzai. Supporting the process is the right thing to do by the United States and the international community. Let the people of Afghanistan make their judgment.
I explained to him what was going on. I expressed my concerns about it and I assured him that my position will be a responsible position throughout. I could swallow my emotions and feelings and so forth … I know it will have a lasting damage on the country. … Here there was a golden opportunity. President Karzai turned it into a disastrous situation, including what we are talking about … He will be able to cover it with his charm … but what happens to the country? What happens to the country? We cannot recover from this. The United States, the international community, is paying for the failures of a national leader. … More troops, more resources, more advisers will not be a substitute for the failure of a national leader.
Q. Will there be a runoff?
A runoff is a good possibility. In a runoff he will lose. He has used all ammunition he has, making deals.
