Educating the masses

Afghanistan is preparing for its first democratic election. Polling stations are being prepared (separate ones for men and women), and the public is being educated on how to cast their vote through a series of cartoons and illustrated posters. Another problem is in finding enough people to man the voting centers in a country rife with illiteracy.

As a way of ensuring each person votes only once, voters' thumbs will be marked with endelible ink. This has made some citizens concerned about becoming targets for Taliban sympathizers.

To help ensure security, the ballot boxes will be shipped off to Denmark, where they will be counted. '"This country has never experienced elections before," Mr Azam says. "The results may take two to three weeks."' Hey, compared to our elections, that's no time at all to find out who your president is!

Oh, and where are these ballots being printed so that Afghanistan can enjoy the democracy that the United States brought to them?

Canada.