On May 18, 2010, The World Affairs Council – Washington, DC, in partnership with the University of the District of Columbia, hosted a conversation with Dr. Abdullah Abdullah and Ambassador Ronald Neumann as part of WAC-DC’s Distinguished Speakers series. The evening began with remarks from Ambassador Neumann, who served as Ambassador to Afghanistan from 2005-2007, and worked with Dr. Abdullah Abdullah when he was Prime Minister in Kabul. Dr. Abdullah Abdullah then took the floor.
Abdullah highlighted both the challenges and the triumphs that the US and Afghan governments have experienced since 9/11. He spoke of improved roads and infrastructure in much of the country. He also emphasized the increased freedom of speech and power of the media in Afghanistan. He pointed out achievements that have been made in education in rural areas, and the increased awareness of women’s rights. However he also highlighted how instability and insecurity in the country still pose a constant threat to future political and economic development.
Dr. Abdullah spoke of the difficulty of establishing a stable democratic government in the country due to the corruption of leaders such as President Hamid Karzai and his “cronies”. He stated that there is a growing gap between the people and the government because of a lack of transparency, because of corruption, and because of the need for rule of law. He told the audience that this gap has fueled the growth of the Taliban. He told of how, when speaking to farmers in Marja, many of them told him that they had decided to support the Taliban because it seemed like a better alternative to the corrupt officials in Kabul.
Dr. Abdullah Abdullah himself ran against President Karzai in the August 2009 presidential election. He stated, “I took the campaign to the people, listened to them, learned from them, and framed the message of my campaign from them.” However, Abdullah stated that he was cheated out of a fair election by the lack of transparency that allowed Karzai to win the vote.
Despite this, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah cautioned the audience that the US should not conclude that democracy will not work in Afghanistan. He stated that a future leader’s success must be defined by winning and gaining the trust of the Afghan people. In September, Afghanistan will hold parliamentary elections. Dr. Abdullah recognized that this will be a test of the country’s ability to establish a transparent, democratic electoral system. He stated, “We have time to make serious corrective efforts. If we don’t the same painful experience may be repeated.” In the effort to ensure the success of these elections, Ambassador Neumann stated that foreign observation of the process must be made. Abdullah added that the Elections Complaint Commission, which is charged with ensuring the transparency and integrity of the elections, must be truly independent from the current administration.
Dr. Abdullah Abdullah also provided insightful comments on the US’s past and future involvement in Afghanistan. He spoke of the damage that a specific date for troop withdrawal had done to the US’s reputation with the Afghan people. He reminded the audience that once Afghanistan was no longer a US priority at the end of the Cold War, America abandoned the country, and it was out of this environment of sudden neglect that the extremist enemies of the US formed. He cautioned that withdrawing suddenly from the current engagement could have similar effects.