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A New Beginning For Afghanistan

For nearly 25 years, Afghanistan has been shattered by war. Last week, this South Asian nation took a giant step toward securing its future. Its loya jirga, or grand council, approved a new constitution.

"This is the success of the whole Afghan nation," said President Hamid Karzai. A new presidential election will be held this June.

If ever a nation needed a fresh start, it's Afghanistan. From 1979 to 1989, the country fought off an invasion by troops from the former Soviet Union. Afghanistan won the war, but the ethnic groups who had battled the Soviets together began fighting among themselves.

One group, the Taliban, took power in the 1990s. Its leaders made strict rules that they said were in keeping with Islamic beliefs. There were laws against music and watching TV. Women and girls could not go to school. And Osama bin Laden was allowed to train terrorists in the country.

After terrorists attacked the U.S. in 2001, the U.S. and its allies declared war and swept the Taliban from power. Since then, there has been a struggle to rebuild.

The constitution was the result of three weeks of intense, sometimes angry debate among the loya jirga's 502 members. Last Monday, those who took part were relieved to have a new constitution. "It would have been a disgrace if we hadn't reached agreement after such a lot of talking," said council member Abdul Fatah. "What would we have said to our people?"

Next: Iran's Heartbreak