History books and storybooks alike call Afghans a special people because of their valor, love for freedom, love for their country and love for their convictions and hospitality and the upkeep of their honor. The Afghans make a nation that needs to be understood by the world, and boast a culture and values that need to be appreciated by all. In the words of the presidential candidate Hamed Karzai, they are "a hell of a nation!"

This nation went to the polls on October 9, 2004 to vote for a president for their government. The nation was frightened prior to the elections of the threats of violence and of dangers to their lives if they attempted to vote. And perhaps because of that and in defiance of it, and being a nation of valorous people, they traveled to the 5000 polling stations in droves, in millions, expressing both their desire for peace and fearlessness of the enemy, as if they were going to a huge festival held by the makers of their history and to participate at a huge function celebrating the first day of the rest of their lives.

The elections were not perfect by any account. For one thing the media covered that aspect of the Afghan culture where heads of families and clans and especially of tribes can tell members for whom to vote. Also that many a time a woman would vote for the choice of her man. Are these compatible with democratic values? Many say they are and cite mechanisms in use in most advanced democracies. They refer to the party caucuses in the United States. There were also reports of problems and irregularities confirmed by the United Nations, the Joint Election Commission, the Human Rights Watch and many others. Most of these irregularities amounted to minor complaints. There was one, discovered early in the day when the permanent ink applied to the thumb of the voter to prevent multiple voting by the same person proved not to be permanent, but washable at some stations. The Election Commission was quick to announce that the problem had been corrected. But the incident provoked controversy among the candidates, fifteen of whom were reported considering a boycott of the elections. But as the day wore off and as the United Nations and the Election commission promised an investigation, the protests slowly and gradually subsided.

Overall, the Election Day went by in peace, in jubilation, in a sense of accomplishment by a nation that had dreamed and daydreamed of an occasion like this for the past quarter century. It proved to be a new beginning in the eventful life of the nation. And the event taught many lessons.

And there were many winners and many losers to the experience. While the winner of the race for president would not be known for a couple of weeks, other winners and losers are already jubilating and or dressing their wounds. Among the famous winners of the Afghan elections is President George Bush of the United States and his team of advisers including Dr. C. Rice the National Security Advisor to the President. President Bush, with an obvious air of arrogance, called Afghan election as a "shining victory." Minor winners include Dr. Z. Khalilzad, the United States Ambassador, nicknamed as the Viceroy to Afghanistan. Tony Blair the Prime Minister of Great Britain is another participant in the jubilations as he was a supporter, throughout, of the US policy in Afghanistan. Other European Union member states and statesmen too expressed their happiness over the elections in Afghanistan. The United Nations, under whose auspices the Afghan elections were held and much of the credit must be given to them for the hard and arduous fieldwork as well as financial and technical support, was another rightful winner.

Other winners of the Afghan presidential elections so far are more significant. These include, the desire of a nation for freedom, for democracy, for exercising their right to vote, to participate in civil life and show the world that this nation, even after having been exposed to the harshest conditions and after being subjected to all sorts of excesses, deprivations, poverty, homelessness and hopelessness, is still alive and kicking and needs to be counted upon. It showed that democracy is what people everywhere yearn for and especially the Afghans seek, and in their search they are not afraid of difficulties and problems and even threats to their own lives.

The famous losers were the remnants of the Taleban movement, the Al-Qaeda and other reactionary forces inside and around Afghanistan. The losers included above all, Osama the son of Laden, the one-eyed Mullah Omar, and underground head of the Islamic Party Gulbuddin Hikmatyar.

Other losers, warlords, private militia leaders, and reactionary elements in the transitional government may feel the loss gradually as reality sits in.

A survey conducted by the International Republican Institute asking for the public opinion has come up with some interesting findings. The survey carried out by some 450 people in 26 provinces of Afghanistan recorded 17,110 responses. The IRI report among its other findings states:

"There is a difference of 47% between the first and second place candidates. The third place candidate had 5% of the vote. Twelve candidates each received 1% or less of the vote. 82% of respondents said that the election was free and fair. This finding was consistent throughout the day. 97% said that any problems in the election did not affect the outcome."

The survey sample that included 22% of women also revealed:

"Karzai received support from 86% of Pashtuns sampled, 40% of Tajiks, 16% of Uzbeks and 21% of Hazaras. Qanuni received the support of 5% of Pashtuns sampled, 34% of Tajiks, 9% of Uzbeks and 5% of Hazaras. 8% of all women sampled voted for Jalal."

Although this was not the first time Afghans were practicing democracy and that they had voted several times during the so called decade of democracy to choose representatives to their parliament, this time they overwhelmingly expressed pride and elation over the fact that their nation has been able to embrace a democratic principle of electing their own leader. The pride and elation has been mostly on the process rather than the person.

Homira G. Nassery, an Afghan woman who serves as Advisor to the United Nations Development Program in a beautifully written exposition of her own experience voting on the Election Day in Kabul writes:

"Everything's done properly, my finger is still marked from the correct ink they used; my card is punched. It never felt like this before in the States when I was voting for poor Dukakis, bless his heart. I look at the list of candidates, so professionally prepared, that ballot, and I put a big X in my selection box, then add a happy face, then circle the picture too, just in case someone doesn't get it. Thank God for the pictures -- I'm illiterate in Farsi too! I fold the paper, say a little prayer, and then kiss the folded piece big and bold with my Mulberry lipstick. Only then do I drop it in the box. To no one in particular, I say, "Here's one for peace and justice." I want to go outside, celebrate, let out a war cry, and give high-fives to everyone. Yeeeee-haaaaa! How fabulously cool is this moment?"

And indeed October 9, 2004 goes into the annals of history as a day when one of the greatest democratic experiences was realized for the Afghans who look into the future for an ever perfecting process through which they would finally be able to have full democratic control over their destiny. As to who will be declared the winner of this presidential race, the nation waits and has its fingers crossed that the new president would not turn into an imperial president in the absence of a parliament to check his powers. 10/15/04