(Thumbnail image from spiritofamerica.net)
A recent spat of attacks on civilian targets in Kabul by the Taliban in Afghanistan have added a new obstacle to democracy in the midst of the country’s second presidential election.
We’re taking a look at perspectives across the world including CNN, France 24, The Huffington Post, The Guardian, and Worldfocus. They are questioning if democracy is even possible in a country like Afghanistan.
An Afghan political commentator on CNN warns against applying democracy in the region too quickly. He says the country isn’t developed enough.
“Right now, if you implement democracy, western style democracy, like America in Afghanistan, it’s like giving something other than milk to a baby.”
France 24 looks at the impact the Taliban could have on the Afghans’ confidence in democracy.
“Taliban insurgents see the vote as a deception instigated by the Americans. They have vowed to disrupt polling booths and called on Afghans to boycott the election. If voters stay at home, it will undermine the legitimacy of the future president and further reinforce the instability plaguing the nation.”
On The Huffington Post, writer Eric Margolis also says he sees the Afghan elections as propaganda for the West.
“This week’s Afghan vote will be an elaborate piece of political theater designed to show increasingly uneasy Western voters that progress is being made in the war-torn nation after seven years of US-led occupation.”
But an article in The Guardian, gives examples of how democracy is being touted by some in Afghanistan as well.
“Local newspapers quote the Qur'an as evidence that there is no contradiction between Islam and the principles of democracy. Presidential candidates invoke early Muslim history to show that the rule of the people is rooted in Muslim tradition.”
Political science professor Kimberly Marten says in a World Focus interview that even if some polling is disrupted, this presidential election is a step toward democracy.
“The important thing to keep in mind is that the campaigns have generated so much excitement, and there have been people already who are willing to go out and risk their lives to find an alternative… If that sense of excitement can continue for the next two days, then even if there are people in parts of the country who can’t vote successfully, the vote is going to make a difference.”
So what’s your take? Can democracy work in Afghanistan?
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