Hamid Karzai takes office as first elected president of Afghanistan

December 7, 2004 

Although widely hailed as the start of a new era, both Karzai and Afghanistan face difficult challenges ahead. Insurgencies continue and drug lords still control much of the ethnically-divided country. But the peaceful and democratic vote indicates to many that Afghanistan is on the right track. 
The Joint Electoral Management Body declared that Mr. Hamid Karzai won 55 percent of the vote in the election. An expert panel, appointed in the aftermath to investigate complaints about improper balloting, verified earlier today that there were shortcomings with the elections. While the panel said the problems that were identified "could not have materially affected the overall result," it hopes the findings will be used to improve the operations of future elections. 
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Hamid Karzai takes office as first elected president of Afghanistan December 7 , 2004 Although widely hailed as the start of a new era , both Karzai and Afghanistan face difficult challenges ahead . Insurgencies continue and drug lords still control much of the ethnically - divided country . But the peaceful and democratic vote indicates to many that Afghanistan is on the right track . The Joint Electoral Management Body declared that Mr. Hamid Karzai won 55 percent of the vote in the election . An expert panel , appointed in the aftermath to investigate complaints about improper balloting , verified earlier today that there were shortcomings with the elections . While the panel said the problems that were identified " could not have materially affected the overall result , " it hopes the findings will be used to improve the operations of future elections . { { archive ] ]
Hamid Karzai
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office
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first elected president
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Afghanistan
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the start
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a new era
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both Karzai
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Afghanistan
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difficult challenges
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Insurgencies
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drug lords
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the ethnically-divided country
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the peaceful and democratic vote
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Afghanistan
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the right track
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The Joint Electoral Management Body
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Mr. Hamid Karzai
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55 percent
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the vote
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the election
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An expert panel
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the aftermath
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complaints
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improper balloting
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shortcomings
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the elections
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the panel
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the problems
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the overall result
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the findings
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the operations
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future elections
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