Afghans Agree on Historic New Constitution

Yahoo News ^ | Sun, Jan 04, 2004 | By STEPHEN GRAHAM

[Kaslin]

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghanistan (news - web sites)'s constitutional convention agreed Sunday on a historic new charter, overcoming weeks of division to reach a compromise meant to bind together this war-ravaged nation's mosaic of ethnic groups, the chairman said.

Just a day after warning the summit was heading to humiliating failure, council chairman Sibghatullah Mujaddedi told the 502-delegates meeting under a giant tent in the Afghan capital that last-ditch diplomacy secured a comprehensive deal.

"We are very happy that all the members of the loya jirga have reached a very successful agreement," Mujaddedi said.

He gave no details of how an impasse over whether to grant official status to minority languages, an issue which brought the meeting close to collapse, had been solved.

But he said a new draft of the document would be distributed to the delegates shortly and that U.S.-backed President Hamid Karzai would join the gathering later Sunday to oversee the charter's official ratification.

The accord is expected to give Karzai the strong presidential system he had been insisting on.

Karzai has argued strongly for a dominant chief executive to hold the country together as it rebuilds and reconciles after more than two decades of war, and said he wouldn't run if he didn't get his way.

U.S. and U.N. officials worked tirelessly to broker a backroom agreement to bolster a peace process begun after the ouster of the Taliban two years ago

[chicagolady]

Every woman will get 2 burkas!

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[alloysteel]

Merely writing a constitution is still a long way from adopting and applying its terms. I would suspect the current proposal is not going to be a very revolutionary document, and still subject to some very narrow interpretations concerning what we of this country consider to be some pretty basic rights.

[leadpenny]

The dwarfs have a "debate" this afternoon. Can't wait to hear the congratulatory remarks directed at the W administration.

[wunderkind54]

That last paragraph mentioning U.N. officials brokering a peace plan raises a red flag.

I hope this does not include an "Oil for Food" program!

[endthematrix]

It seems that some have grown weary of fighting a decades long civil war.....and some have not. Yes it is historical, however U.N. backroom agreements in Afghanistan have been only a temporary ceasefire between clans and warlord. With the US at the wheel, we can hope for a better administration of peace.

[Kaslin]

The dwarfs have a "debate" this afternoon. Can't wait to hear the congratulatory remarks directed at the W administration.

You forgot the < /sarcasm > tag

[leadpenny]

Oh, no, you haven't heard? They're really for fighting the War on Terror, but . . .

[SubMareener]

The UN Assistance Mission to Afghanistan has been very helpful during the negotiations at the Constitutional Loya Jerga. However, the Afgans themselves worked this out. Sebghatollah Mojaddedi, chairman of the Loya Jerga, had almost completed his speech announcing the successful conclusion when he saind that he had forgotten to thank the UN Mission, who made strenuous efforts to draft the new constitution.

This is Afganistan for Afgans. The US is not at the wheel. Hamed Karzai, head of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan, is currently at the wheel and doing a fine job. The Coalition forces in Afganistan are focused on destroying the remnants of the Taliban and Al Qaidah.

As for the warlords, Rummy's visit a couple of months ago, seems to have had a soothing effect on them. ;-)

[IronJack]

History in the making. Think what completion of the Constitution meant to America.

It gave the liberals something to defile for the next 250 years ...

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghanistan's constitutional convention agreed Sunday on a historic new charter, overcoming weeks of division to reach a compromise meant to bind together this war-ravaged nation's mosaic of ethnic groups, the chairman said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Freedom, ping!

[Valin]

You're right! No change in Afghanistan in the last two years. Why it's just like the Taliban never left.
/sarcasm

[Southack]

Historic!

[Tamzee]

Historic!

Yes, this certainly is!!!

[Kaslin]

Indeed it is

[GeekDejure]

Historic!

Yeah... no Democrat party !!!

.

[blackie]

Afghans Agree on Historic New Constitution ~ Bump!

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

SubMareener, good to see a positive post on this thread.

Considering all the bickering in this effort by one individual in particular to mention Islam in every single passage, it is truly a miracle an agreement was reached AT ALL!!

I'm for bumping this on good news PERIOD.

Will it last or pass? Who knows. But for today, it is a victory!!

God Bless President Karzai, and may He protect this brave man. I also PRAY he wins the first democratically elected Presidency, and continues to bring peace to his country.

[windchime]

Bump!