[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 23467]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            TOMORROW'S PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN AFGHANISTAN

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                           HON. ROBERT W. NEY

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 8, 2004

  Mr. NEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the people, and 
the transitional government, of the Islamic State of Afghanistan on 
tomorrow's historic Presidential election. The Afghan people have come 
a long way in the past few years and deserve the recognition and 
support of the U.S. Congress.
  Mr. Speaker, as you know, the people of Afghanistan are at a historic 
turning point. Leading to tomorrow's election, great progress has been 
made in their electoral process: of an estimated 10 million eligible 
voters, more than 9 million have registered, and more than 40 percent 
of them are women.
  I congratulate the Afghan people on this high registration 
percentage, and I applaud the diversity of the electorate and the 18 
Presidential candidates. Their participation symbolizes a true 
commitment to pluralism, democracy, and to an open electoral process.
  Mr. Speaker, the people of Afghanistan are still facing very real 
threats, however. There are still news reports of voter intimidation 
and violence against voters and poll-workers. There are even reports of 
Taliban loyalists advertising rewards for anyone who kills a poll-
worker.
  I would like to commend President Hamid Karzai for his leadership in 
opposition to these militants. Under President Karzai, the Afghan 
people continue to stand tall, bringing their country to its moment of 
democracy. They have remained steadfast and, in spite of the risks, 
have continued to register to vote in droves.
  While Afghanistan has a long way yet to go, its people have come a 
long way already. The greatest threat to the fundamentalists that would 
do harm to America is exactly what will take place tomorrow in 
Afghanistan: Democracy. And for that, Mr. Speaker, I commend the Afghan 
people.

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