Afghanistan Takes Another Shot at Democracy
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In more than a fourth of Afghanistan, voters might be risking their lives by participating in next week's national election. But the Obama Administration is hoping the outcome will lead to better governance. On the rebroadcast of today's To the Point, we look at the prospects for a weakened President Hamid Karzai and the realities of corruption, drug dealing and threats from the Taliban.
Note: During KCRW’s Summer Sign-up, we are airing the complete rebroadcast of today’s To the Point in place of Which Way, LA?.
Reporter's Notebook
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Guests:
- Gerald McKinstry: Staff Writer, Journal News
- Brian Gilmore: Supervising Attorney for the Fair Housing Clinic, Howard University School of Law
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Guests:
- Alfredo Corchado: Mexico Correspondent, Dallas Morning News, @ajcorchado
Main Topic
Afghanistan Takes Another Shot at Democracy ()
The Obama Administration's "three-legged stool" for Afghanistan includes security, economic development and better governance. More troops are on the way, multi-billion dollar development contracts are being signed and national elections are just over a week away. Will the vote demonstrate political stability in a nation at war? With 40 other candidates on the ballot, President Hamid Karzai may be forced into a runoff. How deep is resentment over governmental corruption and the perception of US influence? Will voters outside Kabul ignore Taliban threats and go to the polls? Will it take deals with warlords and drug traffickers to keep Karzai in office?
Guests:
- Anand Gopal: Correspondent, Christian Science Monitor
- Ahmad Nader Nadery: Commissioner, Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission
- Elizabeth Rubin: Edward R. Murrow Press Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations
- Sarah Chayes: Special Advisor to the Commander of US Forces in Afghanistan, @CarnegieEndow
Links:
- Rubin's (New York Times Magazine) cover-story profile of Karzai
- Chayes' 'The Punishment of Virtue: Inside Afghanistan after the Taliban'
- Gopal's article on Karzai's deal-making, conciliation as campaign strategy
- Ashraf Ghani (Afghan presidential candidate)
- Abdullah Abdullah (Afghan presidential candidate)
Underwriters
Which Way L.A.? is made possible in part by the Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, the Nathan Cummings Foundation, and the John Randolph Haynes and Dora Haynes Foundation, which supports study and research into policy issues of the Los Angeles region.
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