Obama praised the millions of Afghans who came out to vote on Thursday despite the threat of violence.
"I was struck by their courage in the face of intimidation and their dignity in the face of disorder," he said. "There is a clear contrast between those who seek to control their future at the ballot box and those who kill to prevent that from happening."
The election is major test for Karzai after eight years in office and for Obama's new regional strategy to defeat the Taliban and stabilize Afghanistan.
"Our goal is clear: to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda and their extremist allies. That goal will be achieved," Obama said. "We look forward to renewing our partnership with the Afghan people as they move ahead under a new government."
Key Candidates are :-
Abdullah Abdullah
United National Front opposition alliance
An ophthalmologist. Was foreign minister until 2006. Spent years in the resistance against Soviet and Taliban rule.Mr. Abdullah is seen as a moderate reformer and the only challenger with a chance at forcing Mr. Karzai into a runoff. He refused an offer to become Mr. Karzai’s running mate. He appeals to Afghans who want to move the center of power away from warlords and mujahedeen leaders. He says he would work toward reconciliation with the Taliban, but has doubts that Taliban leaders are ready to negotiate.His party has support among Northern tribes. Although he has both Pashtun and Tajik backgrounds, he is seen as more allied with the Tajik community.
Ramazan Bashardost
Independent
Was President Karzai’s planning minister. Is a current member of Parliament .Mr. Bashardost is running on an anticorruption platform, calling Mr. Karzai and other technocrats “the Taliban with neckties.” As planning minister, he gained populist appeal by rejecting perks and donating his salary to pay for the lunches of his employees. He resigned after the government failed to expell aid organizations that he accused of cronyism. In 2005, he won the third-highest vote total in the parliamentary elections.Hazaras are one of the larger minority groups in the country. He lacks the money and willingness to pay for the backing of tribal networks.
Hamid Karzai
Incumbent president
Led the interim government after the Taliban fell in 2001. Was elected president in 2004 with 55 percent of the vote.President Karzai is the front-runner, despite losing popularity in recent years because of the resurgence of the Taliban and corruption in his administration. Mr. Karzai is the most vocal candidate in calling for peace negotiations, pledging that he will hold a traditional tribal gathering and invite members of the Taliban and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, another opposition leader.Critics of the president say he has lined up the support of a half dozen warlords who have guaranteed their support in exchange for backroom deals.
Ashraf Ghani
Independent
Was a World Bank official. Was finance minister in President Karzai’s cabinet until 2004.Mr. Ghani is running a sophisticated campaign using television, radio, and the Internet, as well as traditional networks like religious councils. He vows to curb government corruption and to find the revenue to create a million jobs and a million houses. He promises to close the detention center at Bagram Air Base within three years. He supports negotiating a cease-fire with the Taliban, prior to a process of reconciliation.Mr. Ghani says that Pashtuns, who are the largest ethnic group, see him as an alternative to Mr. Karzai, who is also Pashtun.
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Hamid Karzai, the president of Afghanistan, has been out on the campaign trail in an area where the Taliban has a significant presence.
Karzai has promised to bring an end to the violence in the country - along with improving infrastructure and education.
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