by Patrick Appel
Joe Klein is not optimistic about the election in Afghanistan:
This is another terrible legacy of the Bush Administration, which figured that the appearance of democracy was all that mattered–while flagrantly neglecting the factors on the ground that create an environment where democracy can actually take hold. Elections are only one aspect of democracy; they do not define it. They can easily be exploited by the powerful and the corrupt, if the proper conditions for a ballot don't exist. In this case, an election is standing in the way of developments–security, the rule of law, education, the creation of a viable middle class–that could make democracy possible in Afghanistan, after a time. Make no mistake, I'll be thrilled if the election comes off credibly and Taliban mischief is minimized. But I'm worried that this vote could turn into a major step backward for our efforts in Afghanistan.
The Dish 