Reactions to Afghanistan's presidential election have ranged from insurgent assertions of failure to claims of "success" by some international officials. The election was not a failure since millions turned out to defy insurgent threats and exercise their constitutional right. Nor was it a "success," since not all were able to vote and significant fraud was reported.
Taking into account the difficult circumstances and challenging conditions within which the election was held, one can conclude that despite significant flaws it was generally adequate. However, use of the word "success" in Afghanistan must be avoided since it creates high expectations that when not realized leads to further cynicism and disillusionment, and erodes the credibility of the government and international mission.
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