Conditional Statement Hacks - IE8 and none IE8 - internet-explorer-8

Question

Is anyone able to assist me before I smash my head on the wall?
I am trying to get this form to work:
<form action="" method="post" name="login_form">
<!--[if !IE]>-->
<input type="text" id="emailcust" name="username" class="custbox" value="Email Address" />
<input type="text" id="passcust" name="password" class="custbox" value="Password" />
<p>NON INTERNET EXPLORER!</p>
<!--<[endif]-->
<!--[if IE 8]>
<input type="text" id="emailcust2" name="username" class="custbox" value="" />
<input type="password" id="passcust2" name="password" class="custbox" value="" />
<p>INTERNET EXPLORER!</p>
<![endif]-->
I OFFICIALLY HATE IE!
Modern browsers appear to be picking up the first IF section and ignoring the latter (as per my want), but IE8 is ignoring both IF sections.
SOLUTION
It seems that the entire form has to be included for each if statement. Therefore within the following works:
<!--[if !IE]>-->
<div id="whatever">
<form action="" method="post" name="login_form">
<input type="text" id="emailcust" name="username" class="custbox" value="Email Address" />
<input type="text" id="passcust" name="password" class="custbox" value="Password" />
<p>NON INTERNET EXPLORER!</p>
<input type="submit" class="cust_submit" value="Login" />
</form>
</div>
<!--<[endif]-->
<!--[if IE 8]>
<div id="whatever">
<form action="" method="post" name="login_form">
<input type="text" id="emailcust2" name="username" class="custbox" value="" />
<input type="password" id="passcust2" name="password" class="custbox" value="" />
<p>INTERNET EXPLORER!</p>
<input type="submit" class="cust_submit" value="Login" />
</form>
</div>
<![endif]-->