New poll reveals top concerns among Afghans

A poll sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development and conducted by a team of Afghans concluded that security issues, including terrorism and violence, were the single biggest problem in Afghanistan, The New York Times reported Tuesday.

According to the article: “The main goal was to gauge public sentiments on social and political issues, ‘in a country that is undergoing rapid changes,’ the authors said.”

“Insecurity is the main reason for the people to believe that the country is headed in the wrong direction,” the authors of the poll wrote. “In the eyes of men and women of Afghanistan, the security situation in the country has deteriorated.”

The poll found that this view remained unchanged from the previous year.

In terms of political sentiment, the poll revealed that the ideas of political tolerance and freedom of expression were not fully realized in society; many still felt reluctant to speak freely and critically about their government.

Some confidence was expressed with regard to national institutions such as the media, aid groups, security forces, and tribal and provincial councils. However, confidence in the justice and political system is weak.

In terms of empowerment of women, the results remained mixed, with 53 percent of respondents strongly agreeing that women should have equal rights while 32 percent “somewhat agreed.”

Religion remains an important issue in Afghan society. Sixty-six percent of respondents said democracy could be Islamic, while 29 percent said that democracy challenged Islamic values.

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Bush, Karzai discuss stability in Afghanistan

President Bush commended Afghan President Hamid Karzai for his efforts by acknowledging in a meeting on Wednesday that Afghanistan is becoming a safer, more stable country, The Associated Press reported the same day.

“Mr. President, you have strong friends here,” Bush told Karzai. “I expect progress and you expect progress and I appreciate the report you have given me today.”

“I don’t know if you feel it in the United States but we feel it immensely in Afghanistan,” Karzai said, going on to highlight improvements in basic services such as roads and education.

Karzai asserted that the liberation of Afghanistan is often overlooked. However, the two leaders did not publicly mention Afghanistan’s record levels of poppy cultivation or the Taliban’s resurgence.

Karzai has pledged to initiate peace talks with the Taliban.

According to the article: “Bush, in New York for the annual gathering of the U.N. General Assembly, made only brief mention of the war in Afghanistan during his speech to world leaders Tuesday. He said the people of Afghanistan – and Iraq and Lebanon – were in a deadly fight for survival.”

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24 nations meet to discuss regional support for Afghanistan

On Sunday, 24 countries participated in a high-level meeting, co-chaired by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, to discuss peace and stability issues in Afghanistan, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported.

The United States, Iran, Turkey, and Pakistan were among those present. Topics discussed included security, law, human rights, international terrorism, and economic and social development strategies.

Participants also reviewed progress on the “Afghanistan Compact,” a five-year development plan launched in January 2006.

A major goal of the meeting was strengthening ties with the Afghanistan’s neighbors, especially Pakistan and Iran, in an attempt to secure their support in the peace-building process.

“While we help the Afghan government in their own efforts, the regional cooperation in the area of economy and security should also be strengthened, and there should be more efforts by President Karzai and Afghan leaders in promoting inclusive political dialogue for national reconciliation. All these efforts should be accompanied by international cooperation,” U.N. Secretary-General Ban said.

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