09/01/06: 2Regular Guys - AfghaniStand and Deliver: The Prospects for our Newest Democracies

AfghaniStand and Deliver: The Prospects for our Newest Democracies.

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Ronald Reagan called it the “Shining city upon a hill.” Barack Obama called it “the audacity of hope.”

Whatever term you prefer, always remember that the success of democracy depends on the optimism of its citizens and leaders.

CitizenU was reminded of this yesterday while hosting 13 government officials from Afghanistan’s fledgling democracy.

Brought to the United States by the House of Representatives governmental exchange program, the Afghan governmental officials are spending their initial days learning about our democracy by visiting local governments with Rep. Mark Kirk.

While speaking to hundreds of civics students, each Afghan speaker expressed appreciation for the United States and its role in ousting the Taliban from power 5 years ago. Each speaker also spoke of the need for continued aid and military assistance from the global community to ensure that democracy succeeds in Afghanistan.

We were reminded of the difficult road that lie ahead for Afghanistan. War torn for 30 years and with a neighbor (Pakistan) that harbors thousands of terrorists seeking to regain control with the Taliban, the obstacles are daunting.

But they were also daunting for those American patriots whose infantile democracy was expected to fail by the rest of the world. We are heartened to see that Afghanistan also sees leadership and optimism as two key ingredients essential to the success of democracy.