Women in Afghanistan: Lost Opportunity

A commentator and author (Ann Jones) who spent lots of time living in Afghanistan provides us a history of the fight for women's rights in Afghanistan from 2001 to 2014. She identifies "failed opportunities" on the part of the international community. She slams the Bush administration hard on this issue. Along with the attack on the U.S. establishment she has some critical comments on the elite (male) politicians of Afghanistan for their lack of support for women's rights. She sees hope for Afghan women with the election of President Ghani. A very educational and in-depth (and perhaps slightly slanted perspective) picture of women's rights in Afghanistan - past, present, and future. Read "Democracy's ugly misogyny: The dark reality of "free" elections in Afghansitan", Salon.com, November 1, 2014.

Ghani Removes "Handcuffs"

General John Campbell, the commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) says that President Ghani has been very cooperative with ISAF and will likely lift some of the restriction imposed upon ISAF by President Karzai. Campbell says "Since about 2009, the security forces in some instances almost had handcuffs on them because of some of the policies that Karzai had". Read more in "New Afghan President Improves Ties with U.S.-led Forces", The Wall Street Journal, November 2, 2014.

Rula Ghani May Play Decisive Role

The wife of the new President of Afghanistan, Rula Ghani, has generated some excitement within the "gender crowd" of expats, international aid workers, and development advisors. They see Rula Ghani has a modern women who will lift the status of Afghan women. Mrs. Ghani is a Lebanese-American who is highly educated. Read more in "Afghanistan's New President Thinks His Wife Can Play a Decisive Role", History News Network, by Ali A. Olomi, October 27, 2014.

Ghani Heads to China

The new president of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, will travel to China for a three-day visit. On the agenda will be China's commitment to the mining sector of Afghanistan. In particular there is sure to be a discussion on China's role in the Mes Aynak copper mine in Logar province. Read more in "New Afghan President to Head to China", ABC News, October 27, 2014.

Problems in Afghanistan's Future

An observer of Afghan politics, Mili Mitra, comments on the past problems of Afghanistan and the obstacles laying before President Ghani and the National Unit Government (NUG). See "Escape from Anarchy: Do the Afghan Elections Offer Hope?", Brown Political Review, October 23, 2014.

New Afghan President's Style

A New York Times correspondent in Kabul, Azam Ahmed, provides us with a behind the scenes look of President Ghani. The newly elected president has been developing some momentum in his administration. He immediately signed the Bilateral Security Agreement (BSA) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA). He very quickly re-opened the Kabul Bank fraud investigation; putting the corrupt Karzai clan into the HP mode. To the consternation of conservative religious leaders his wife is publicly on display. Sometimes though, it is the little things that matter; and Ghani has shown that all aspects of governance are important to him at every level. He seems to prefer institutions over politics. While he may not be successful, it certainly is a refreshing change over the crook Afghanistan had for a president previously. Read more in "Learning a New Afghan President's Style", The New York Times, October 23, 2014.

Ghani Brings Economic Optimism

With the election of President Ghani a new optimism is taking hold about Afghanistan's economy. Read more in "With New President, Economic Optimism Returns to Afghanistan", National Public Radio (NPR), October 21, 2014.

President Ghani to Visit China

The newly-elected President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, will soon visit China. His first official trip out of the country will last three days. While in China he will sign agreements and have discussions on aid and Afghanistan's economy. Read more in "Afghan President to Visit China", Radio Free Europe, October 21, 2014.

COMISAF Upbeat on PoA

The Commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) - General John Campbell - has met with President Ghani and observed his actions since he became President of Afghanistan (PoA). Campbell is "excited" about the future and the fact that Afghanistan now has a president who cares about the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF). According to Gen Campbell, President Ghani has met with many of the leaders of the Afghan National Army (ANA) and visited troops at several ANA bases. General Campbell has been on the job for two months; having replaced General Joe Dunford in August. Campbell was interviewed by Gail McCabe in this short video - "COMISAF Looking Ahead SB", DVIDS, October 20, 2104.

Analysis of the Post-Election Afghan Govt

There are many perspectives on the future of Afghanistan and the challenges that the new government faces. One such perspective is given to us by Dr. Alexander Knyazev, a prominent Russian Orientalist, member of the Russian Geographic Society, and a professor at the Kyrgyz-Russian Slavic University. In his article "Afghanistan: A Dangerous Projection of Presidential Inauguration", Centre for Research on Globalization, October 20, 2014 he worries that the ethnic divisions within Afghanistan may soon surface, the current power arrangement between Ghani and Abdullah may fail, and points to weaknesses in the Ghani presidency.

Rula Ghani - a Bio

Rula Ghani, the wife of Afghanistan's President Ghani, is not keeping a low profile. She intends to play a role in Afghan society (much to the dismay of conservative religious leaders in Afghanistan). In being publicly in the open she will become a lighting rod for the opposition. Her issues that she hopes to promote include women and children rights in a conflict-ridden nation. Read more in "Afghanistan's new first lady to focus on women and children", DW.de, October 16, 2014.

First Lady Stepping Out

Zeenat Karzai, the wife of former President Karzai, was kept hidden from view. Rula Ghani does not hide well. She will likely have a public role in advocating for Afghan women and children. Among urban and educated Afghans this is likely seen as a step forward. However, religious conservatives are fuming. Mrs. Ghani, a Christian, met here husband in Beirut, Lebanon and moved to the United States with him. She is Lebanese-American. Read more in "Jolting Some, Afghan Leader Brings Wife Into the Picture", The New York Times, October 15, 2014.

Four Challenges for Ghani

D. Suba Chandran has identified four major challenges for the new president of Afghanistan. They are listed as "One Country, Two Executives", "The Shifting American Focus Towards Iraq", "Advantage Taliban-Pakistan", and "It's the Economy, Stupid". Read the article in "The New Afghanistan: Four Major Challenges for President Ghani - Analysis", EuraisaReview.com, October 13, 2014.

5 Priorities for Afghanistan

Now that President Ghani has taken office various commentators, analysts, and observers are providing input as to what he needs to fix and in what order! Ahmad Majidar is a senior research associate at the American Enterprise Institute (www.aei.org). He also teaches senior U.S. military officers on security and politics in Afghanistan. He provides us with 5 priorities for Afghanistan.

1. Fostering national unity
2. Improving governance
3. Bolstering economy
4. Combating narcotics
5. Improving security

In his article he discusses the topics above in detail. He closes with ". . . the Obama administration, too, must avoid repeating the mistake of Iraq and reconsider its plan to pull out all troops from Afghanistan by the end of 2016".

Read the full article, "5 priorities for Afghanistan", Global Public Square Blog, October 7, 2014.
Learn more about Ahmad Majidar
www.aei.org/scholar/ahmad-k-majidyar/

National Unity Government (NUG) Agreement

The two Afghan presidential candidates signed an agreement (20 September 2014) outlining how the National Unity Government (NUG) will be formed. The actual text of the agreement (in English) is available on the website of the Wall Street Journal. You can read the 4-page document (Adobe Acrobat PDF) at the link below.
http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/afghanagreement.pdf

ISAF Statement on Inauguration of PoA

ISAF Commander, NATO SCR release joint statement

 on inauguration of President Ashraf Ghani

"KABUL, Afghanistan (Sept. 29, 2014) — The Commander of ISAF and U.S. Forces-Afghanistan, U.S. Army General John F. Campbell, and the NATO Senior Civilian Representative to Afghanistan, Ambassador Maurits Jochems, congratulate the Afghan people on the inauguration of Ashraf Ghani as the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, and the appointment of Abdullah Abdullah as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Unity Government. Today the world witnessed Afghanistan’s first peaceful transfer of presidential power. It is a testament to the determination of the Afghan people and their national security forces to move their country forward.
Ambassador Jochems said, “I want to congratulate President Ashraf Ghani on his inauguration, and also Abdullah Abdullah on his appointment as Chief Executive Officer. I wish them well as they lead Afghanistan into a future of promise and peace that all Afghans want and deserve.”
General Campbell added, “While it has been a long, hard road, the people of Afghanistan have shown incredible courage. Their tireless and unwavering efforts to bring peace and security to Afghanistan by exercising their democratic rights provide me great optimism and confidence as they confront the future.”
“I reiterate our continued commitment to the partnership forged between NATO and Afghanistan over the last decade," said Campbell, "as all Afghans support the government that will lead them into a future of unity, peace, and prosperity.”"

www.isaf.nato.int/article/isaf-news/isaf-commander-nato-scr-release-joint-statement-on-inauguration-of-president-ashraf-ghani.html

Ghani - An Intellectual President

Ashraf Ghani is looked upon by the western world as someone who can turn Afghanistan around. Just as the United States, Europeans, and others fell in love with Karzai in the early 2000s - we seemed to have also lost our heart to Ghani. Hopefully this admiration for the "technocrat" is well-placed. Thus far many of the Afghan leaders have been a profound disappointment - none greater than Karzai. However, despite the high hopes of the western world, Ghani has his work cut out for him. One of the admirable attributes of Karzai (I hate putting "admirable" in the same sentence as "Karzai") was his ability to hold together an ethnically diverse population (Pashtun, Tajik, Hazara, Uzbek, etc.), keep the loyalty of warlords and power brokers who many times hated each other (Dostum and ATTA come to mind), and maintain the allegiance of the military (there were no military coups against him . . . unfortunately). So Ghani will have to weld his "intellectual world" with the "Afghan reality". It will be interesting to see how well he does that. Read a newspaper article that looks at how this "academic" will overcome the Taliban, the crooks, the warlords, a poor economy, the drug trade, and the power brokers -"Ashraf Ghani: the intellectual president who can now put theory into practice", The Guardian, September 26, 2014.

Ashraf Ghani Sworn in as President

Ashraf Ghani has been sworn in as the new president of Afghanistan. At his inauguration Ghani said he would eliminate corruption, work for long-term peace, encourage development and reform, end poverty, and clean up the judiciary. He acknowledges that establishing security is key to accomplishing his other objectives. Read more in "Ashraf Ghani sworn in as new Afghan president", BBC News Asia, September 29, 2014.

Ralph Nader Likes Ashraf Ghani

Ralph Nader, a consumer advocate, lawyer, author, extreme liberal, (former presidential candidate?), and now, it seems, observer of international conflicts - has come out with a glowing description of the president-elect of Afghanistan - Ashraf Ghani. Well, if Nader likes Ghani then why shouldn't the rest of us? Read Nader's worship of Ghani in "Afghan Voters Choose a Better Future", The Huffington Post, September 24, 2014.

Ten Priorities for Ghani

Tamim Asey, writing for The Diplomat, has provided ten recommended priorities for Afghanistan's new president (and his new Chief Executive Officer).

1. Sign the BSA and NATO SOFA.
2. Fix the security situation and narcotics trade problem.
3. Fix the economy, fight corruption, and get more foreign aid.
4. Unite a divided population (Pashtuns, Tajiks, Harazar, Uzbecks, etc.).
5. Review regional and global diplomacy.
6. Reform the judiciary and rule of law.
7. Call for a loya jirga to amend the constitution.
8. Reform the banking and financial sectors.
9. Comprehensively reform the civil service.
10. Write a new chapter with the Islamic and Arab worlds.

You can read the entire article "10 Priorities for Afghanistan's New President", The Diplomat, September 24, 2014.