A US Involvement...?

    My last post talked about US involvement in morals. What about US involvement in countries that we already have a large presence in and are already in the middler of instating a government (like... say... Afghanistan)
   Hamid Karzai finally (officially) won the 2009 election for president of Afghanistan.  Usually I would support a decision to allow a new democracy to try to come to its own conclusions.  What about a rigged election in a questionably stable country... I wish we would have done more.
   Karzai's main opponent, Abdullah Abdullah (yes his name is the same thing twice) made accusations of "ballot stuffing" and voter fraud.  The US urged Afghan officials to hold a recount (and they planned to), but I'm not sure if it was really enough.  Abdullah, sure they would come to the same conclusion withdrew from the race, as he said it would discredit Karzai's victory (I'm not exactly sure how that works or if it matters).
   Karzai's last term was wrought with scandal (including pacts with poppy growers and war lords).  Most Afghans believed he would win again because he was the US endorsed candidate in 2004 and, though we didn't officially endorse anyone, we would still have the power to rig the election.
   I'm not going to accuse my government of rigging a third-world election, but if it was rigged (and evidence makes that quite probable) then as the force keeping Afghanistan out of anarchy, we should use our power to make sure that democracy is truly being practiced.
   Karzai and his morally questionably "friends" used intimidation to keep political opposition from the voting booths, I think the best thing would have been for America to bust in and have a real election (god, I can't believe I'm saying this).

Disclaimer: Karzai is controversial and although I am not a fan he has done a series of good things for Afghanistan, helping the economy and he has (tried to be) a firm hand against terrorism, including criticizing US involvement with the taliban of the late 90's before it was "in vogue."  He was also at one point a member of the Taliban group, but later withdrew as it became to extremist for him.