Afghan Constitution Postponed, Elections May Be Too

[papau]

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/international/international-afghan-constitution.html

August 28, 2003 Afghan Constitution Postponed, Elections May Be Too
By REUTERSFiled at 10:49 a.m. ET

KABUL (Reuters) - Afghanistan will postpone adopting a new constitution by two months, allowing more time to inform the public about what is at stake, in a move that could delay elections due next year, a senior official said on Thursday. The constitution will help define post-Taliban Afghanistan, including its political system -- presidential, parliamentary or back to a monarchy -- the role of Islam in the conservative Muslim state, and how much power Kabul has over the regions. Western diplomats and aid workers have complained that the process has been rushed through, leaving little time to consult a population still emerging from the trauma of war and occupation. Farooq Wardak, director of the secretariat of the Constitutional Commission, told Reuters that the constitution would not be adopted until the end of December from the original target date of end-October.

<snip>

She said there was a level of mistrust among some Afghans in the constitutional process so far. "People are asking 'Will the government be able to implement the constitution properly?'" she said, adding that wariness also stemmed from the risk of armed factions and warlords hijacking the final approval phase. Wardak said a draft of the constitution was being drawn up, and would be presented roughly on time in early September. But a constitutional loya jirga, or grand assembly, that will finalize the document, would be put off to December from October.

<snip>
Wardak said there was a good chance that the elections could be delayed as well. "There is a likelihood of that," he said. "The nation wants to see some confidence-building measures. People have to see disarmament at least started." The Afghan government plans to disarm up to 100,000 fighters from various factions in a bid to improve security and put an end to lawlessness and local feuds blamed on warlords and governors. Afghan Foreign Minister Dr Abdullah told reporters in Sofia after meeting his Bulgarian counterpart: "We are due to hold general elections in June next year. The Afghan government will do its best to hold the elections on time in co-operation with the international community."
<snip>

[Rose Siding]

1. Afghanistan is the gold standard

of Bush's skills in the arena of "nation building"; a rubric for Iraq. Inevitable, unsustainable, predictable.

[tinnypriv]

2. These guys are one war away from being forgotten

n/t

[papau]

3. A Billion a month current Afghan spending does not buy much!

The Afghan $12 billion is Again an item not in the Budget for 04 - the budget that is only 480 billion in deficit - provided they steal 150 billion from social security so as to net down to 480 billion.

But to our media - The what me worry Bush is a "leadership" position to take, and those like the Internation Monetary Fund (IMF) that say we are heading for a disaster are just making political comments.

After all - this is a "values" election - so let's not change topics!

[jayfish]

4. ..."allowing more time to inform the public about what is at stake"

Translation:
Until our polling data suggests that we have sufficiently cajoled you into voting for our guy.

Jay