Terror, Elections and Politics Bush Style

The slightest hint of a terrorist attack was enough to trigger talk of postponing the November elections in the US.  Afghanistan, which is under a non stop terrorist attack, is another story however.  In spite of the chaos and risk the Presidential Elections must go on.

After much debate and two postponement, presidential polls will be held in Afghanistan on October 9. However, the parliamentary election - which has also been deferred twice - will be held next April. While the deferment of parliamentary elections has been widely welcomed, the decision to press ahead with the presidential poll when the situation in the country is far from conducive for any elections has evoked a mixed response.
Presidential and parliamentary elections were to be held last month, but because of the deteriorating security situation, rising violence and slow voter registration they were postponed to September. While voter registration is making slow progress - about 6 million of Afghanistan's estimated 10 million eligible voters have registered - the security situation seems to have worsened. Yet presidential elections will be held in three months' time.

It is essential to the Bush campaign that the presidential elections take place in Afghanistan prior to the November elections in the U.S. to put a veneer of success on the failed operation there.   Politics as usual for this administration.