Afghan democracy

Afghanistan, so much in the news after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in the United States, has been a low news priority ever since the Taliban's stranglehold was broken and Osama bin Laden was chased away.

But life has been returning to some semblance of normalcy under U.S. administration. War damage has been repaired and businesses and schools have reopened.

A significant development has been the drafting of a constitution for the Afghan people. Last week, more than 100,000 copies of the document were distributed throughout Afghanistan, sometimes being delivered by donkey in remote areas.

This is the country's first taste of democracy. And there are many hurdles left before a constitution is completed and ratified. But Afghans have shown they are keenly interested in the process and its outcome. In the capital city of Kabul, newspapers containing the complete text of the new constitution sold out quickly.

A constitutional government in war-ravaged Afghanistan is a dream about to come true.