Election Woes a Boon for Taliban

The Taliban might not be on the ticket, but the fraud-ridden Afghanistan elections have been a boon for the terror organization. Systematic cheating and fraud gives the Taliban ammunition against President Hamid Karzai, who they say is hopelessly corrupt and a puppet of foreign powers. The Taliban's reclusive leader, Mohammad Omar, denounced "the so-called elections which are fraught with fraud and lies" in a statement online Saturday. The Taliban at first discouraged voters with threats of violence, a tactic that was largely successful as only 39 percent of registered voters showed up, The Washington Post reports. Officials have ordered a partial recount, while Karzai supporters have blamed foreign diplomats for exaggerating the election fraud incidents.