Afghanistan prepares for an historic election

[igloo]

Afghanistan prepares for an historic election

Women haven't voted in 5,000 years; now one could be president

By Keith Miller

Correspondent

NBC News

Updated: 7:37 p.m. ET Oct. 6, 2004KABUL, Afghanistan - The front runner in Afghanistan's election, interim president Hamid Karzi, held a rally Wednesday in a stadium once used by the Taliban to execute opponents. He urged Afghans to vote using ballots, not bullets, to determine their future.

But in an already historic election, the candidate making history is Massouda Jalal, a 41-year-old mother of three — the first woman to run for president of Afghanistan.

Only men attended her campaign rally in a village outside Kabul. Some have never seen anything like this. There were a lot of people there.

“They want me. They say, ‘You are our sister,'†says Jalal.

This, says Massouda, is an opportunity to change perceptions of women.

“A woman with empty hands, with no financial power, no military power, no government power can win the election — with pure support of people of Afghanistan,†she says.

Women certainly have the vote. Some four million women are registered, but many of them will be told who to vote for.

“The community elders will get together and decide how the vote is going to go, and they will instruct people to vote accordingly. That is the culture,†says Andrew Wilder, director of the Afghan Research and Evaluation Unit.

The danger comes from warlords and the Taliban.

Up to 1,000 people — aid workers, elections officials and soldiers — have been killed in the run up to the election. American forces have been beefed up in preparation for voting day. Additional air power and 700 paratroopers joined the 18,000 troops already on the ground.

Massouda Jalal won't accept a bodyguard, even though she's on the Taliban's hit list.

“She's been victimized by the Tailban and al-Qaida with their philosophy, and her candidacy tells them you were wrong,†says Nassrin Gross of the Center for Policy Research.

Jalal won't win the presidency, but she may achieve a victory in helping change attitudes — a process that can be more complex and dangerous than practicing democracy.

[jtk4]

this is what the third time they have prepared for elections. I hope the get it off this time.

Now bush says in iraq there will be elections in january, that seems a little far fetched to me.

[igloo]

this is what the third time they have prepared for elections. I hope the get it off this time.

Now bush says in iraq there will be elections in january, that seems a little far fetched to me.

I caught the tail end of a news segment this morning on the Afghan elections........they were showing that election workers actually had to deliver ballots on donkey to some areas because donkeys are the only feasible method of transportation in some areas due to the terrain.....pretty remarkable stuff...nice story for democracy too....

The ballots also were set up to include pictures of the candidates because 71% of Afghans are illiterate......

[obby]

this is what the third time they have prepared for elections. I hope the get it off this time.

Now bush says in iraq there will be elections in january, that seems a little far fetched to me.

Far fetched to those who underestimate the power of democracy.

[jtk4]

Far fetched to those who underestimate the power of democracy.

hahahaha did that come out of a fortune cookie

Now back to the real world, with what is going on in iraq and the anount of nato there to help with the vote, I think it is far fetched to say in jan there

WILL be elections. Now if everyone is not able to vote is that democracy? Are we setting the stage for a civil war?

which might not be bad, our flegling country also had a civil war and we turned out all right.

[obby]

which might not be bad, our flegling country also had a civil war and we turned out all right.

Best thing you have writen so far.