More good news from Afghanistan

Suprise, surprise, Afghanis want democracy. Afghanis want freedom. And they believe they're going to get it.

So says the results of a Washington Post poll that finds, among other things, that 81%! intend to vote. (One can only pray that Americans will take their franchise this seriously, again, some day.) Hamid Karzai's approval rating is 62%, and his favorability rating is 85%!. Fully 77% say that electing a President and Parliament will make a difference in their future.

The road ahead will not be easy. There are many stumbling blocks in the way, not least the need to educate the populace in the ways of democracy and how to live together in peace rather than avenging every wrong with violence and murder. But the hope is evident in the air.

Our survey showed that nearly three years after U.S. troops launched the war on terrorism in Afghanistan to drive out the Taliban and Osama bin Laden, Afghans want democracy. They are looking forward to their first free presidential election, scheduled for October, and say they will vote in large numbers. They are also surprisingly supportive of democratic values such as equal rights and peaceful opposition. Though big problems -- public ignorance, administrative and partisan difficulties, and insecurity -- must be faced if the elections are to succeed, the research indicates democracy's chances in Afghanistan may be better than widely thought.

Hat tip to Ranting Profs.