History does nothing, it possesses no immense wealth, and it wages no battles. It is man, real, living man who does all that, who possesses and fights; history is not, as it were, a person apart, using man as a means to achieve its own aims; history is nothing but the activity of man pursuing his aims. - Karl Marx

To remind subsequent generations of the present, humans write. But, why should we write for the folks who have not yet come into existence? What should future humans be reminded of? One may argue that the obligation to seek the knowledge of the past should be a matter of concern for subsequent generations. After all, is not it better to write history for the folks at the present? “Each one has his reasons,” Sartre says, “for one art [of writing] is a flight; for another, a means of conquering” (qtd. in Richter 662). Indeed, the form of writing determines the purpose of the...

“The condition of man… is a condition of war of everyone against everyone. (But) to escape from this perilous situation, human beings need the state that secures the right to life by securing peace.”

– Thomas Hobbs’ Leviathan quoted by Francis Fukuyama in The Origins of Political Order

In an act of mob terrorism, a mentally retarded woman named Farkhunda was mysteriously murdered on allegations of setting the Holy Koran on fire within an old mosque located in downtown Kabul.

The incident is well recorded as eyewitnesses have posted several video clips and photos of the mob attack on Facebook and Twitter. But, let’s get one fact straight: as of now, it’s unclear whether Farkhunda committed what she was accused of by the mob. I leave the “whys” and “hows” of the Farkhunda murder to the Kabul police. What strikes me the most is people’s reaction to this criminal incident.

The...

“Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomes Afghanistan’s President and CEO at NATO Headquarter.”

More than a month has passed since the NATO allies urged the presidential candidates, Dr. Ghani and Dr. Abdullah, to take the road of political reconciliation. The immediate consequence looked promising as President Ghani and CEO Abdullah were sworn into the office. Will the national unity government (hereafter NUG) pass the first and the most challenging test of strength; namely, forming the cabinet within the two-month legal timeline?

The NUG was born amidst despair, reluctance, and foreign intervention. In July 2014, Afghanistan was on the edge of a political collapse. While Matthew Rosenberg of New York Times, on 18th August, talked about the possibilities for a coup as a result of the election impasse, the streets of Kabul began to be packed by angry youngsters who set up tents...

As Co-Founder of Institute for State Effectiveness (ISE), Dr. Ghani speaks at World Economic Forum.

Prior to April 5th 2014, so difficult was to identify the factors that distinguish Dr. Ghani’s platform from that of Dr. Abdullah. The talks of economic growth, employment, and education were sporadic; the key words, which are usually pinpointed during election campaigns elsewhere (e.g., GDP growth, public health care, interest rate, inflation rate, unemployment rate) were almost never uttered in main speeches. In this sense, the second round is not better than before. But, a concrete difference between Dr. Abdullah and Dr. Ghani is emerging while the two still continue to mask their actual intentions with a populistic flavour. This difference is rooted in the opportunities and threats that Afghanistan will face if either candidate ascends to the thrown.

Therefore, a brief SWOT...

Dr. Ghani (left) standing with Dr. Abdullah (right) in TV1 debate.

On 15th May 2014, Afghanistan’s Independent Election Commission (IEC) confirmed that the Afghans will have to cast their votes for the second time in a run-off between the two leading candidates: Dr. Abdullah (45%) and Dr. Ghani (31%). In fact, IEC simply endorsed the widespread rumor of the run-off, which was leaked out right after the election by IEC insiders who always spoke to the media on the condition of anonymity.

Procedurally, IEC’s announcement conforms to the legally binding electoral schedule. Despite the candidates’ complaints during and after the Election Day, independent supervisory bodies have a general consensus on the presumption that IEC has not broken any legal procedures while taking this decision. But, putting aside the question of conformance to legal procedures, a macro analysis of the election...

داکتر عبدالله عبدالله و داکتر زلمی رسول وزرای اسبق خارجه و کاندیدهای پیشتاز انتخابات

رئیس جمهور کرزی همچنان مصرانه بر نقش کلیدی پاکستان و آمریکا در پروسه صلح تاکید می کند. تیرگی روابط رئیس جمهور کرزی با متحدان غربی اش درباره توافقنامه امنیتی با آمریکا سایه بحران سیاسی، اقتصادی و امنیتی را بر روی افغانستان انداخته است. اساسا، خوشبینی یا بد بینی نسبت به آینده، امنیت و پیشرفت اقتصادی افغان ها عمیقا وابسطه به روند تحولات در روابط افغانستان با خارجی ها است. بنابراین، پیچیدگی و درهم تنیدگی مناقشات فعلی، دستگاه دیپلماسی را تبدیل به مهمترین مجرا برای حل اختلافات و گذار از بحران نموده است.

متاسفانه، افغانستان، کشوری که ربع قرن اخیر را در بحران سیاسی و جنگ با کشورهای منطقه ای و فرا منطقه ای گذرانده، فاقد دکترین سیاست خارجی مدون بوده است. نظام سیاسی فعلی نیز در طول دهه اخیر، علی رغم روابط نزدیک با جامعه جهانی، دیپلماسی کاملا انفعالی و ناتوان داشته است. آنطور که پیداست، روابط خارجی افغانستان...

When inquiring top government officials about what has been achieved over the past decade, journalists are often reminded of the economic growth that was absent prior to 2001. On the surface, it goes beyond dispute to argue against the officials’ claim. From 2003 to 2012, the real GDP growth averaged 9.2% according to the World Bank. The agriculture and mining sectors have been the emerging sources of the aggregate output growth.

Yet, the crucial segment of this growth originates from foreign aid and pledged financial commitments. The World Bank alone raised over $6.42 billion through Afghanistan Reconstruction Trust Fund to go into development projects, not to speak of the United States, European Union, and other international donors. Putting growth figures in this contextual perspective makes it easier to question whether the aid-driven economic growth has been a remarkable...