Democratic and other processes

On some of the merits of the democratic process, you might also like to read about Sabrina Sagheb, a 25-year-old woman standing in today's election in Afghanistan:

"If elected I will face up to the old men with guns that destroyed our country," said the 25-year-old development worker on the final day of campaigning. "Now it is our turn to fight with them."
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It is a tough battle. Tomorrow's vote is beset with perils.

Yesterday gunmen dragged candidate Abdul Hadi from his house in Helmand province and killed him, the sixth candidate to die. The Taliban have warned voters to boycott the poll to avoid getting caught in fresh attacks.
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But the poll has also fired the imagination of young Afghans, who see politics as a way to wrench power away from the big men of violence. "The politicians we supported before have betrayed us. They start wars, put our money in their pockets and do nothing for the young," said Reza Hashimi, a 20-year-old carpet weaver.

Sagheb, with her lipstick, fluent English and matching Nike trainers and headscarf, represents a new optimism and sophistication. She has injected a new ingredient into Afghan politics: sex appeal. Her glamorous poster has become an object of desire in Kabul, rivalling only that of Bollywood siren Aishwarya Rai on shops, taxi windows and bedroom walls.

Read the rest. I love the sentence...

The Taliban have warned voters to boycott the poll to avoid getting caught in fresh attacks.

Otherwise rendered...

The Taliban have warned voters to boycott the poll or they will kill them.