To the Point

Afghanistan-s Constitution: War, Terrorism, the Path to Democracy

After 25 years of civil war, Soviet occupation and rule by the fundamentalist Taliban, Afghanistan-s various ethnic groups have agreed on a Constitution. Though it looks good on paper, even supporters concede that democracy itself will be a long time coming. The Loya Jirga agreed to protect women-s rights and ethic identities, and it balanced civil law with Islamic principles. But warlords still run much of the country, some fundamentalist Taliban remain at large, and deadly violence is an every day fact of life. We speak with journalists and human rights advocates, Afghanistan experts and the Afghan ambassador to the US about national unity and ethnic divisions, women-s rights and fundamentalism, and continuing violence with elections scheduled in just six months. Making News: North Korea Offers Deal as US Delegation Begins Visit An unofficial American delegation has flown from Beijing to North Korea for a visit that could help to resolve the standoff over that country-s nuclear program. Also today, North Korea issued a news release claiming its willingness to make a -bold new concession.- Selig Harrison, who directs the Asia Program at the Center for International Policy, says Pyongyang's promise not to test a nuclear devise is a major concession. Reporter's Notebook: Killing Mad Cow Disease Because it couldn't identify the offspring of the cow found with America-s first known case of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy or Mad Cow Disease, the US government will destroy a herd of 450 calves quarantined in Washington State. The agent that causes BSE is practically indestructible. That creates a major disposal problem, as it did in Europe in the 1980's and 90's, when nearly 4 million animals were slaughtered. Dr. Ortwin Renn is a former counselor to the Germany government for BSE.