Senator Hart Looks for Bloggers with a “Thoughtful Disposition”
Senator Hart’s new blog is definitely worth checking out. Having recently visited Afghanistan during the presidential election, Hart provides insight into what democracy means in Afghanistan and how his observations helped him reflect on American democracy. Hart described the elections in Afghanistan with much optimism:
The United States has an enormous military, political and economic presence in Afghanistan, which will increase before it decreases, trying to bring to the Afghan people the kind of government against which Americans have been screaming in so-called town hall meetings recently. Many Afghanis are dying and risking their lives to achieve even a semblance of the kind of government many Americans seem to distrust at best and hate at worst . . .
Despite ancient cultural and religious traditions of misogyny, a surprising number of candidates of provincial councils were women, and women voted in appreciable numbers in the safer regions. Unlike the only previous national presidential election in 2004, this election was managed by the Afghan government and included an independent election commission. The candidates spoke to issues of great public concern and avoided attacks and acrimony much more, it must be said, than in American elections. No one called any of the candidates ‘socialists’ or ‘communists.’
As a deeply respected public servant, national security expert and educator, Senator Hart brings unique experiences and perspectives to his blog posts. He asks only that his readers and fellow bloggers bring a “good will and thoughtful disposition.” I certainly don’t think that’s too much to ask.
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“….trying to bring to the Afghan people the kind of government against which Americans have been screaming in so-called town hall meetings recently.”
Perhaps Senator Hart misreads the American people. As I understand it, the American people are leery of big government and its uncontrolled spending of borrowed money. Most are not demonstrating against our republic as defined in our Constitution.
I sincerely hope that we are not exporting at gunpoint the brand of government that chooses what is best for its people. The power to choose what is best should come from the people, not the elites in the government.
It will be interesting to see the decision made about the validity of the election by Afghanistan’s independent election commission. I understand from hearing Dr. Clare Lockhart’s testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on 9/17 that the Afghanistan constitution has provisions for the way forward if the election is considered invalid.