A new model for Afghanistan

BY ROSALIE E. DUNBAR, NEWS EDITOR

AS PRIORITIES have shifted in Iraq, Afghanistan has become the new focus in the fight against terrorism. There are many challenges: Large parts of the south and east are outside government control; both regional warlords and the Taliban are major influences. Some believe that Al Qaeda continues to have a presence there. The borders are so porous that terrorists can escape into Pakistan; the harsh mountainous terrain offers many hiding places.

Afghanistan is also the world's leading producer of opium. Since it is a major cash crop for the poverty-stricken citizenry, there is little incentive to stop raising opium poppies for market. Under Taliban rule, which relied heavily on opium income, people were sometimes punished when they attempted to stop.

Although the president was democratically elected, he has failed to address the country's poverty and instability. As one person put it: "He never took measures against corrupt officials ... The government is built on compromises and deals" (The Christian Science Monitor, "Afghans to Karzai: You failed us," October 23, 2008). His recent call for spring elections would give him an unfair advantage against rivals who were working toward August, the expected date.

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A new model for Afghanistan

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