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| Afghanistan | |
| Afghanistan Nears Adopting Constitution | |
| 2003-12-22 | |
| Afghanistan’s grand council made progress Sunday toward adopting a landmark post-Taliban constitution despite an enduring divide over President Hamid Karzai’s wish for a strongly centralized state. Opinion appeared split on issues such as human rights and the powers of the president. But eight days into the council, or loya jirga, its chairman said he was ready to assess proposed amendments to the draft, which would then be put to a vote. ``The brothers and sisters have done a great job,’’ Council Chairman Sibghatullah Mujaddedi said at a news conference. ``I expect and hope that this debate won’t take much longer, because everyone has had ample chance to express their views.’’Karzai has pressed for swift ratification of the charter, which should lead to presidential elections next June and crown a two-year drive to stabilize the country after the fall of the Taliban. Fascinating — Afghans might actually have a working government in the end. When’s the last time that happened? Mujaddedi gave no indication of which way the majority were leaning on critical issues. But U.S. Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad met with Karzai and said Saturday that delegates appeared to favor a presidential system. Some delegates who left the closely guarded jirga site on a Kabul college campus to speak to reporters Sunday said they were happy with the deliberations. ``There is a democratic atmosphere. Everyone can say what they want,’’ said Mujaher Anwari, an Uzbek from Jawzjan province who said he supports a presidential system. Should we remind our pals on the left who made this democratic spirit possible? But others said they would protest the concentration of powers desired by Karzai, who has said he wants to stand in the June presidential vote. Farooq Wardak, the director of the country’s constitutional commission acknowledged that opponents of the presidency could make a final push to stop it. ``As you know, the type of regime is an object of discussion,’’ Wardak said. ``If there is a need for voting on one or two issues, there will be voting.’’ Ballots, not bullets. Whoda thunk?
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| Posted by:Steve White |
| #4 Don't forget 'unilateralist'. |
| Posted by: Raj 2003-12-22 12:45:39 PM |
| #3 Wow, Dubya sure worked diplomatically with a lot of different groups there. All I've been hearing from the U.N. and the "International Community" is that Dubya is a "warmongerer" and "cowboy". I wonder if they've been wrong about his approach to foreign policy all along. |
| Posted by: Les Nessman 2003-12-22 12:00:03 PM |
| #2 And of course George Bush also made it possible - but lets be real specific about HOW Dubya succeeded - he succeeded by working WITH muslims in the country, both Northern Alliance and Pashtuns willing to break from the Taliban, and by not simply lashing out as some would have liked. He even worked with Islamists like Rahabani, as circumstances dictated. He also worked with Perv. And he also went around talking about the "religion of peace". If we're going to give Dubya credit, lets not only credit his "tough" stands, but also his PC stands. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-12-22 9:20:52 AM |
| #1 "When’s the last time that happened?" Under the monarchy, which fell in 1974. Who made it possible - well the US of course, and its allies, and also the Afghan people, especially the fighters of the Northern Alliance. Oh, and Pervs change of alliance. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2003-12-22 9:14:28 AM |