This lesson, that people everywhere want security first and democracy afterwards, and if forced to choose one over the other will always choose security, is a gem of political science wisdom that should be published in our newspapers, taught in our schools, spoken by our leaders, and shouted from the rooftops. There is hope for the U.N. yet if it has some people like this involved with it.
Posted at 2008-01-18 09:34:57 [PermaLink]I think the powers Paddy has demanded to be plenipotentionary envoy are legitimate. The original flawed notion of 'light-footed presence' expounded by first UN envoy to Afghanistan, Lakhdar Brahimi, of international community or the prescription of 'Afghan ownership' has landed the country into a quagmire of insugency and political instability wherby the Karzai government feels free to loot the coffers and be dfended by the NATO forces. People are genuinely crying for the whereabouts of billions spent on so-called reconstruction, which have not changed thier lives, but have brought misery to them. The result is a corrupt unaccountable administration and parliament infested with warlords, war criminals and human rights violators. Karzai's family is also involved in
the grab. So sooner Paddy assumes the job, the better for Afghansitan. Let the corrupts in the country cry hoarse about his appointment.