Afghan elections should be celebrated, not derided

In response to Elisha Sauers' Oct. 13 article titled "They vote; we decide," we would like to present the recent elections in Afghanistan on more reasonable, clear-headed and unbiased grounds. \nAs leaders of the IU student group Students for Global Democracy, we have a certain experience in observing the democratic transitions of foreign nations through our promotion of political rights abroad. We have learned that one cannot expect a nation to jump from a medieval-style government -- such as that of the Taliban -- to the type of democracy we enjoy daily here in America. \nPerhaps some Afghanis did follow the old Chicago machine politics maxim of "vote early, vote often," but let us remind ourselves that only a few generations ago such practices were common in our own electoral system. Afghanistan today is not a full-fledged democracy, as the tribes play an undue role in electoral politics, but it's an incredible step forward from a fundamentalist dictatorship.\nSauers presents the elections as an illegitimate exercise of imperialism and cynical campaign strategy on the part of President Bush. One would wonder how many people Bush would have to pay off to produce the accolades accorded by the international community, the same community which heralded the elections as a wonderful victory for liberty. \nThe Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, an institution well-weathered in election observation, declared that "demands to nullify the election were unjustified." The UN's Kofi Annan said to the Aghani people, "Your impressive participation against the backdrop of threats of violence by extremists ... your enthusiasm in casting your ballot for the first time in your life, are a heart-warming demonstration that ... democracy is firmly taking root in Afghanistan."\nSecondly, there is absolutely no evidence that Washington plays puppet master with Karzai. We wish the United States would take more interest in Afghan governance -- current efforts in that country focus primarily on hunting down terrorists and do not generally promote the creation of a long-term democracy in the country. And even if we did attempt to make Afghanistan a servile state, we would be severely limited by the international control and observance of the country by NATO, the UN and the OSCE -- institutions that would certainly oppose any hint of American empire. \nLastly, no violence marred the elections. The OSCE's chairman stated that "(Election Day) was one of the most peaceful days in Afghanistan for decade." This is simply amazing in a country rife with former Taliban elements, renegade warlords and al Qaeda members. \nThe fact that millions showed up despite threats of violence testifies to the unfaltering dedication the Afghan people have toward self-determination. To those that would minimize the importance of this event, please put aside your bias and examine which values are held in common among human beings: You may find individuality, a say in one's own fate and freedom atop the list. \nRather than deriding their amazing accomplishment, we should celebrate in solidarity with the Afghan people in this momentous turning point in their history.