Afghanistan Election Shows Flaw In Liberal Philosopy

Depsite what our resident military turncoat writes in another Bush bashing piece (not linked, why give him points? Title here for those inclined to find the piece I'm referencing, though I have to ask: why bother?? ELECTION IN AFGHANISTAN SHOWS FATAL FLAW IN BUSH POLICY), the Afghanistan Election and it's success despite calls to boycott the process by the remnants of the Taliban and their supporters shows the flaw in the liberal philosophy for how to deal with things.

If a certain traitorous and slanderous former military type had his way we may never have started the budding representative democracy that is now taking hold in Afghanistan. The same will come to pass in Iraq, though again all we hear from the liberal camp is that we have wasted money and "American" lives there. Yes, some brave U.S. citizens and some of our Allies have also lost their lives in these fights, but they have been succeeding in their efforts, and the citizens of these countries are soon to be reaping the reward.

The citizens of these countries have rushed out to vote, in turnout numbers many times higher than those we have here in the U.S.A. (where we really should be ashamed of ourselves). They've turned out despite threats of death or injury, and despite the calls from those that want to turn back the clock in those countries.

Ignorant and self centered individuals around the world, as well as in this country, have claimed that the people in these countries didn't seek out our help and don't want us there. That is most definitely not what the evidence shows. Check out the article snippet below and then think hard on just how wrong some people are.

Afghans Vote Despite Call for Boycott

By DANIEL COONEY

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) - Trooping into schools, mosques and tents, millions of Afghans defied a Taliban boycott call and militant attacks to vote for a new parliament Sunday, taking the last formal step in starting a democracy aimed at ending decades of rule by the gun.
Officials hailed the polls as a major success, although initial estimates suggested voter turnout was lower than hoped for because of security fears and frustrations over the inclusion of several warlords on the ballot. Results were not expected for more than a week.
Many people looked to a big vote to marginalize renegade loyalists of the ousted Taliban regime by demonstrating public support for an elected government built up under the protection of 20,000 soldiers in the American-led coalition and 11,000 NATO peacekeepers.
Washington and other governments have poured in billions of dollars trying to foster a civic system that encourages Afghanistan's fractious ethnic groups to work together peacefully and ensure the nation is never again a staging post for al-Qaida and other terrorist groups.
"After 30 years of wars, interventions, occupations and misery, today Afghanistan is moving forward, making an economy, making political institutions," President Hamid Karzai said as he cast his ballot nearly a year after his own victory in an election that defied Taliban threats.
He praised Afghans for going out to vote for the parliament and 34 provincial councils "in spite of the terrorism, in spite of the threats."
Fifteen people, including a French commando in the U.S.-led coalition, were killed in a spate of violence during the day. But there was no spectacular attack as threatened by Taliban militants, whose stepped-up insurgency the past six months caused more than 1,200 deaths.
Heavy security kept most violence away from polling stations. Election officials reported three people wounded and no one killed in attacks near polls and said only 16 of the 6,270 voting stations did not open because of security threats.
Vote counting begins Tuesday, and with donkeys and camels being used to collect ballots in some remote areas, preliminary election results are not expected until early October.
Even then, it likely will take time to figure out who has the power in the new Wolesi Jirga, a parliament with 249 seats, 68 of which are set aside for women. Most of the 2,775 candidates ran as independents, and Karzai was careful not to publicly favor anyone, fearing renewed tensions if any political blocs become too powerful.
Rights activists viewed the election as a big step for women in this traditionally male-dominated society. The 5,800 candidates for parliament and the provincial assemblies included 582 women, and a quarter of legislative seats are reservedd for women.
Enthusiasm was generally high as Afghans clutching voter identification cards filed into schools with lessons still scrawled on blackboards or stepped over piles of shoes to cast ballots in mosques. Tents served as polling stations in remote areas.
"Today is a magnificent day for Afghanistan," said Ali Safar, 62, standing in line to vote in Kabul. "We want dignity, we want stability and peace."
The United States started Afghans on the road toward democracy when it led a military campaign in late 2001 to topple the Taliban for refusing to hand over Osama bin Laden and close al-Qaida camps. A tribal council adopted a constitution early in 2004, followed by Afghanistan's first presidential election last fall and then Sunday's parliament ballot.
At least 190 U.S. military personnel have been killed in or near Afghanistan during that period, and Washington hopes the strengthening Afghan democracy will calm the insurgency and let American troops start to withdraw.
U.S. Ambassador Ronald Neumann called the elections a "great success," putting an optimistic cast on reports that voter turnout appeared lower than for October's presidential election.

... more at linked article

I highlighted several sections, and would point out a few more things here.

1. The article was written/published by the Associated Press. Not the most supportive news organization when it comes to spreading good news about the efforts in Afghanistan or Iraq.

2. Some of the support has come (as evidenced by the highlighted text above) from the UN and other organizations.

3. The rights of minorities, especially women, have taken huge leaps in both Afghanistan and Iraq as both move towards becoming democracies.

So I'm left again trying to figure out how there was ever supposed to be a fatal flaw in Bush policy here?

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