Thursday, March 03, 2005
Following Through on a Vision
"Three years after the Taliban was overthrown in Afghanistan, the government of President Hamid Karzai remains confronted by widespread poverty and hunger, millions of refugees and displaced persons living in squalid hovels, rampant drug trafficking and corruption, plus major deficiencies in health care and education.
This, despite billions of dollars poured into Afghanistan since the U.S. invasion in late 2001...
In its survey National Human Development Report: Security With a Human Face, the U.N. concludes that while the U.S.-led coalition successfully ended the oppressive rule of Taliban religious zealots, inadequate attention has been paid to confronting the inherent socio-economic and cultural difficulties undermining Afghan society.
According to the report's authors, "human security" and "human development," rather than military force and diplomacy alone, are key to resolving Afghanistan's complex problems...
Although more than 54 per cent of school-age children are now in school, many areas still have no schools and adult literacy is only 28.7 per cent. Few girls attend school at all...
In the words of the report's authors, "Our team found the overwhelming majority of people hold a sense of pessimism and fear that reconstruction is bypassing them."
The report proposes government and donor-nation policies be more people-centred, taking into account the nature of Afghan society, with its ethnic, religious and regional differences.
But the continuing power of warlords and other power brokers, some involved in the lucrative drug trade, continues to threaten security, especially in areas where the government lacks effective control.
..In a controversial move this week, Karzai appointed Uzbek warlord Abdul Rashid Dostum as chief of staff to the armed forces commander, an appointment apparently intended to appease Dostum and win Uzbek support during forthcoming elections..."
HARRY STERLING for Toronto Star
"Afghanistan's first ever parliamentary elections in over four decades will not be held on time as per schedule, a UN spokesman said here Thursday.
As per earlier timetable, the post-Taliban legislative electionwas set to take place in the Afghan month of Saur, which covers 30days between April and May ending on May 20.
"Election cannot take place in the month of Saur. It is not possible in the month of Saur because among other things the election law requires that the date needs to be announced at least90 days before election and we do not have 90 days to announce in the month of Saur," Manoel de Almeida e Silva told journalists here at a news briefing."
"Afghanistan’s government says it will take tougher measures against drugs after a UN agency report concluded the country was becoming a narcotic state.
The International Narcotics Control Board’s report found that opium production in Afghanistan last year reached 4,200 tonnes - 1000 tonnes more than in 2003.
...the World Bank says opium production has become the Afghanistan’s leading economic acitivity, locking it into a vicious cycle with drug warlords."
- posted by Anonymous @ Thursday, March 03, 2005
Comments:
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I love your title tagline! I think it is so true! "There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right in America"
Cyetain: Thanks for the update on Afghanistan, "the other war." To me, this is the primary example of Bush's team lacking the tactical competance to carry through on the promise of their vision.
The problems in Afganistan are a direct result of the Bush administration's tactical incompetance . Saying that things were worse before is hardly an excuse for how they are now. Daniel, I would expect more from you.
The creation of a narco state in Afganistan is a major threat to our national security not to mention our city streets.
Sarge, your suggestion that the near total lack of infrastructure building and security outside one or two major cities is a "small and temporal tactical" problem belies your total lack of willingness to confront realities that disturb your picture perfect vision of this administration. When did you loose all sense of measure and subtlety?
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The creation of a narco state in Afganistan is a major threat to our national security not to mention our city streets.
Sarge, your suggestion that the near total lack of infrastructure building and security outside one or two major cities is a "small and temporal tactical" problem belies your total lack of willingness to confront realities that disturb your picture perfect vision of this administration. When did you loose all sense of measure and subtlety?
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