Afghanistan's Democratic Debacle | Patrick Basham | Cato Institute: Commentary

Afghanistan's Democratic Debacle | Patrick Basham | Cato Institute: Commentary: "American neo-conservatives have spent the past decade proclaiming the universal freedoms that democracies around the world enjoy. The problem is that Afghani political culture doesn't celebrate such freedoms at all. It's an illiberal culture that rewards warlords with political office, requires quotas to ensure female representation in parliament, and tolerates almost indescribably widespread corruption.

President Karzai presides over the fifth most corrupt government in the world, according to a Brookings Institution study. Last year, his government managed to 'lose' a staggering 60 percent of its annual revenue.

What's occurring today in Afghanistan is an affront to supporters of freedom and liberty. But it isn't an affront to most Afghans. For centuries, Afghan politics has been — and will continue to be for the foreseeable future, no matter how many 'free' elections are held — about ethnic identity and strict adherence to Islam. Tribal loyalties and religious conservatism trump all other values."