(2009-09-12) Afghan Loya Jirga

Ansar Rahel [suggests](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/11/opinion/11krakauer.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&ref=todayspaper&adxnnlx=1253289947-bCwzT8IXd9z/N D9 L Rfm Bl A) the use of a Loya Jirga to manage that transition of Afghanistan from Tribalism to Open Society. The debacle of last month's election underscores a basic flaw in the efforts by the United States and other Western nations to solve Afghanistan's problems: the country is simply not ready for direct presidential elections or a presidential system of government transplanted from a Western model of democracy. A political structure like India's, with a prime minister, would be a much better fit. And the proper mechanism for converting the Afghan government along these or any other lines is the loya jirga, rather than ad hoc political appointments (like anointing a chief executive to serve under the president), as some have suggested.