First Steps Towards Democracy
The picture at the right is of Moqadasa Sidiqi, a science student whose family escaped Kabul in 1992 during civil war. She made history today by becoming the first person to cast a vote in the first election for an Afghan president after 25 years of near-constant war and bloodshed.
Interim leader Hamid Karzai is expected to win the election, although the fact that he is only one of 15 candidates makes it doubtful that he can get enough votes to avoid a run-off.
For those who doubt that democracy can take root in a Muslim nation:
A day ahead of the vote, Islamic clerics urged worshippers to embrace democracy. At the Blue Mosque, the capital’s largest house of prayer, Mullah Obeid-ul Rahman told some 400 faithful that Islam and democracy should go hand and hand.
Quote of the day comes from Aziz Ullah, a 19-year-old Kabul shopkeeper:
“I came here to vote so we can have democracy and stability and peace in Afghanistan,” he said. “There used to only be a transfer of power by force or killing. Today, the Afghan people are choosing their future leaders themselves.”
Post-Second-Debate Morning Reads.
The Linker of Worlds (Allahpundit) has a round-up of debate responses that I’m not going to top, so I won’t try. I’ll just link it. Sounds to me like a Bush win. For the Record: The Armorer ain’t watching any…