Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai joins with other candidates to call for national unity and investigation of the widespread election fraud claims.

Kabul, August 20, 2009 – When the presidential race began there was a deep sense of skepticism as to whether the race would be open and whether any of the issues that the public really cares about would be discussed in debate.
Today we stand at a moment when the Afghan public has proven its capacity [...]

Letter to the London Times newspaper, published Aug. 20, 2009
The success of the Nato-led intervention in Afghanistan hangs in the balance in the elections that begin today. Without a new government committed to restoring the State’s sovereignty and working with the international community to stabilise the country, the insurgency will spiral [...]

One candidate, Ashraf Ghani, has run a genuine, issue-based campaign, lifting the level of debate even as his own chances of success have shrunk. And those who know the country believe that there exists all across Afghanistan, and not just in Kabul, an emerging middle class, which is young, modern-minded, enthusiastic, hard-working and ready to cross the ethnic barriers which would hamper political life even if there were no such thing as the Taliban and no such problem as the insurgency.

Rashid Dostum is the head of Jombesh-e Melli Islami (the National Islamic Movement), a predominantly Uzbek militia that once was a part of the Northern Alliance.
Mr. Dostom spent one year in exile returned to Afghanistan last night. Dostom, warlord, human rights violator and killer, rejoined Karzai corrupted team after he was exiled to Turkey for [...]