The United Nation's number two official in Afghanistan, Peter Galbraith, was fired last week. Galbraith, who was the highest ranking American working for the UN in Afghanistan, had disagreements with his boss, Ambassador Kai Eide, over how to handle fraud accusations in the recent Afghan election.

"The Secretary-General has decided to recall Mr. Peter Galbraith from Afghanistan and to end his appointment as the Deputy Special Representative of the Secretary-General for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan," read the UN statement. "The Secretary-General has made this decision in the best interest of the mission. He reaffirms his full support for his Special Representative, Kai Eide."

Peter Galbraith should not have been fired. He was fully within his job duties in wanting an uncontested election. "The notion that we had no interest in whether the voting and counting is fair is illogical to me," Galbraith, a Vermonter, told the Vermont Press Bureau. His recommendation that the UN disregard votes from "ghost" polling stations strikes me as sound.

As a result of ignoring Galbraith's recommendation we have now what looks to be a power vacuum in an already unsteady country next door to a nuclear power pending conclusive results of the election. Have we learned nothing from the Iranian elections?

Prior to his station in Afghanistan, Galbraith served as United States Ambassador to Croatia, was a staff member for the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, where he specialized in Iraq, and worked for the UN in East Timor. The Biden-Gelb-Galbraith plan, which dominated thoughtful foreign policy discussions during the 2008 election season, recommended a tripartite ethnic division of Iraq. He has dedicated his life to promoting peace and democracy in areas of conflict. He deserved better.

[Image: Diplopundit]