October 12, 2004: Headlines: COS - Afghanistan: Politics: Elections: Washington Post: "This election had two major messages. First, Afghans believe they have a right to participate in their government, that it's their legacy after 30 years of violence," said Thomas E. Gouttierre, who just returned from Kabul and directs the University of Nebraska's Center for Afghanistan Studies. "The results will also carry a message to jihadis: Thanks for what you did against the Soviets, but we want to turn a new page and have another group of leaders for our future."
Peace Corps Online:
Directory:
Afghanistan:
Special Report: Afghanistan Expert RPCV Thomas Gouttierre:
October 12, 2004: Headlines: COS - Afghanistan: Politics: Elections: Washington Post: "This election had two major messages. First, Afghans believe they have a right to participate in their government, that it's their legacy after 30 years of violence," said Thomas E. Gouttierre, who just returned from Kabul and directs the University of Nebraska's Center for Afghanistan Studies. "The results will also carry a message to jihadis: Thanks for what you did against the Soviets, but we want to turn a new page and have another group of leaders for our future."
"This election had two major messages. First, Afghans believe they have a right to participate in their government, that it's their legacy after 30 years of violence," said Thomas E. Gouttierre, who just returned from Kabul and directs the University of Nebraska's Center for Afghanistan Studies. "The results will also carry a message to jihadis: Thanks for what you did against the Soviets, but we want to turn a new page and have another group of leaders for our future."
"This election had two major messages. First, Afghans believe they have a right to participate in their government, that it's their legacy after 30 years of violence," said Thomas E. Gouttierre, who just returned from Kabul and directs the University of Nebraska's Center for Afghanistan Studies. "The results will also carry a message to jihadis: Thanks for what you did against the Soviets, but we want to turn a new page and have another group of leaders for our future."
Election Touted as Model for Iraq -- to a Point
By Robin Wright
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, October 12, 2004; Page A19
At a sensitive moment in the U.S. presidential campaign, the Bush administration is promoting the tentative success of Afghanistan's election as a hopeful model for Iraq's future: a messy, often violent struggle against extremists that has nevertheless produced democratic elections.
The agreement yesterday by Afghan opposition candidates not to boycott the results, despite allegations of irregularities, marks a welcome moment in a tough year for the administration in Iraq and for U.S. diplomacy in the Islamic world.
[Excerpt]
Analysts also say the results in Afghanistan -- and the compromise that prevented a threatened boycott by all 15 opposition candidates for president -- are largely attributable to an Afghan thirst to end the era of civil strife. No international intervention could produce those results unless Afghans had been eager to participate, they said.
"This election had two major messages. First, Afghans believe they have a right to participate in their government, that it's their legacy after 30 years of violence," said Thomas E. Gouttierre, who just returned from Kabul and directs the University of Nebraska's Center for Afghanistan Studies. "The results will also carry a message to jihadis: Thanks for what you did against the Soviets, but we want to turn a new page and have another group of leaders for our future."
Those factors were reflected in the compromise, negotiated by U.N. and U.S. envoys, to let an independent commission investigate alleged irregularities.
Gouttierre said the administration deserves praise for "a step well taken and well delivered." But he also credited major roles by the international community, both in security efforts and election preparation by the United Nations.
When this story was posted in October 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:
 | Director Gaddi Vasquez: The PCOL Interview PCOL sits down for an extended interview with Peace Corps Director Gaddi Vasquez. Read the entire interview from start to finish and we promise you will learn something about the Peace Corps you didn't know before.
Plus the debate continues over Safety and Security. |
 | Schwarzenegger praises PC at Convention Governor Schwarzenegger praised the Peace Corps at the Republican National Convention: "We're the America that sends out Peace Corps volunteers to teach village children." Schwarzenegger has previously acknowledged his debt to his father-in-law, Peace Corps Founding Director Sargent Shriver, for teaching him "the joy of public service" and Arnold is encouraging volunteerism by creating California Service Corps and tapping his wife, Maria Shriver, to lead it. Leave your comments and who can come up with the best Current Events Funny? |
Read the stories and leave your comments.
Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.
Story Source: Washington Post
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Afghanistan; Politics; Elections
PCOL14348
74
.