The Afghan Success
Harold's List
The Wall Street Journal
September 19, 2005; Page A16
Who would have thought that free and successful elections in Afghanistan would so quickly become a non-story? We sure didn't, but that seems to be the case judging from the paucity of news coverage of yesterday's historic Afghan vote for a national parliament and provincial assemblies. Success is apparently boring.
Taliban terrorists were unable to fulfill their pledge to disrupt the vote, not that they didn't try. They killed five candidates and four election workers leading up to the election, and yesterday another 15 people died in violence, including a Frenchman who was part of the international force helping to provide security. Despite such dangers, turnout was said to be heavy, though perhaps not up to the eight million who voted in last October's presidential election.
The vote was also another milestone for Afghan women, with 580-some female candidates, or 10% of the total. The Taliban had threatened female candidates in particular, much as they had turned women into second-class citizens during their time in power. For a country that hadn't chosen a legislature in decades, and was thought too benighted to support democracy by many Western sages, this is worth celebrating.
About 20,000 U.S. soldiers remain on the ground in the country, providing security while Afghan police and army forces continue to build. American and NATO forces will need to be there for some time, notably special forces who can pursue Taliban fighters who use terrorist tactics. But a legitimate new legislature will make it that much harder for the Taliban and its foreign recruits to find popular sympathy or sanctuary.
It's worth recalling how perilous for U.S. interests this corner of Southwest Asia was only four years ago. With the Taliban running Afghanistan, and Pakistan intelligence helping them, an Islamist takeover in Islamabad was not out of the question. But now with the Taliban routed and Hamid Karzai governing in Kabul, the region is no longer an al Qaeda sanctuary. This is one battle in the war on terror that we're clearly winning.
The Wall Street Journal
September 19, 2005; Page A16
Who would have thought that free and successful elections in Afghanistan would so quickly become a non-story? We sure didn't, but that seems to be the case judging from the paucity of news coverage of yesterday's historic Afghan vote for a national parliament and provincial assemblies. Success is apparently boring.
Taliban terrorists were unable to fulfill their pledge to disrupt the vote, not that they didn't try. They killed five candidates and four election workers leading up to the election, and yesterday another 15 people died in violence, including a Frenchman who was part of the international force helping to provide security. Despite such dangers, turnout was said to be heavy, though perhaps not up to the eight million who voted in last October's presidential election.
The vote was also another milestone for Afghan women, with 580-some female candidates, or 10% of the total. The Taliban had threatened female candidates in particular, much as they had turned women into second-class citizens during their time in power. For a country that hadn't chosen a legislature in decades, and was thought too benighted to support democracy by many Western sages, this is worth celebrating.
About 20,000 U.S. soldiers remain on the ground in the country, providing security while Afghan police and army forces continue to build. American and NATO forces will need to be there for some time, notably special forces who can pursue Taliban fighters who use terrorist tactics. But a legitimate new legislature will make it that much harder for the Taliban and its foreign recruits to find popular sympathy or sanctuary.
It's worth recalling how perilous for U.S. interests this corner of Southwest Asia was only four years ago. With the Taliban running Afghanistan, and Pakistan intelligence helping them, an Islamist takeover in Islamabad was not out of the question. But now with the Taliban routed and Hamid Karzai governing in Kabul, the region is no longer an al Qaeda sanctuary. This is one battle in the war on terror that we're clearly winning.
posted by Marko at 9/19/2005 03:05:00 PM
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