Afghanistan 'will take 30 years to develop into proper democratic state'

[unhappycamper]

Sir Simon Gass said that 352,000 Afghan Security Forces would be left in place but added that would be a 'high water mark' and funding might not remain for that number



Afghanistan 'will take 30 years to develop into proper democratic state'
By Duncan Gardham, Security Correspondent
6:30AM GMT 16 Jan 2012

Sir Simon Gass, a British diplomat, said the country has gone through 30 years of disastrous conflict which has destroyed infrastructure and institutions.

"It will take decades to recover from the destruction that was wrought over that period of time," he added.

Referring to a World Bank report about countries emerging from prolonged conflict, Sir Simon said they do not have strong institutions, democratic values, rule of law or lack of corruption.

"Those are not values that can be delivered in a short period of time. Typically they take 30 years or so in countries coming out of conflict," he added.

[xchrom]

1. Du rec. Nt

[TigerToMany]

2. Hate to say this

but with the Taliban in charge there was no way that Afghanistan was going to be democratic. Sure there might have been a revolution, but with a male-centered tribal culture it would have been a long time before that even happened. As we all know, women's rights are essential to modern democracy.

I think Obama has handled the conflict there with grace, intelligence and tact.

[Marrah_G]

3. As long as the Taliban have any hold on the country there will be no freedom

They are a group of men with absolutely no value to civilized society. I will unapologetically say I wish each and every one of them was dead, gone and unable to harm another man, woman or child. I think of all the cultures in the world, that one is the absolute worst for women and children and to a lesser extent, men without power.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. The same could be said for many of our "allies" that we haven't inflicted war on.

Saudi Arabia comes to mind.

[Odin2005]

5. They will never have democracy as long as they keep their backwards tribalism.

[gratuitous]

6. Well, there's only one way to fix that

Send in the troops, bomb the living bejesus out of the place, and make the rubble bounce some more. And if 10 years of that doesn't work, try another 10 years. It's really the only solution we have to offer.

[quinnox]

7. Yup, we gotta bomb them to hell

until they start to see it OUR way. Damn those savages! Can't believe they have a different culture than us, the fine and noble Americans.

<sarcasm>