U.S. Can't Predict Afghan Election Safety (Armitage)

[Khephra]

WASHINGTON -- Taliban fighters have been unable to disrupt the upcoming Afghan election so far, but predicting how safe the Oct. 9 vote will be is "a tough call," the Bush administration's No. 2 diplomat said Wednesday.

Deputy Secretary of State Richard L. Armitage said that attacks by militants have amounted to only two or three daily for the past several weeks.

Part of the reason is that a Pakistani offensive in border areas where Taliban and al-Qaida have been hiding has been "so muscular" that "we're even seeing signs that al-Qaida families are starting to leave."

snip.......

"The Taliban expect to try to really ratchet things up to disrupt this election," Armitage told a hearing of the House International Relations Committee. "But they have not been able to do it."

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-us-afghan-election,0,1550304.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[Bluebear]

1. I thought Bush said there is no more Taliban???

[HysteryDiagnosis]

2. Airforce 1 to be restyled to reflect

boob who said there was no more Taliban....