Obama Praises Courage and Dignity of Afghan Voters
Afghan election workers count ballots at a polling station in Kabul |
Despite attacks and threats of violence by the Taliban against those participating in the vote, millions of Afghans went to the polls August 20, Obama told reporters at the White House August 21.
“As I watched the election, I was struck by their courage in the face of intimidation and their dignity in the face of disorder,” he said.
The president said there is “a clear contrast between those who seek to control their future at the ballot box and those who kill to prevent that from happening.”
“I believe that the future belongs to those who want to build, not those who want to destroy. And that is the future that was sought by the Afghans who went to the polls and the Afghan national security forces who protected them,” Obama said. (more)