Afganistan has a population estimated at between 23 million and 30 million.

What the BBC or USA or UK does not tell you that ONLY 10 MILLION are eligible to vote.

In fact with only between 4 and 5 million voting in this election it only represents about a SIXTH of the population of the country.

Why is the eligibility and turnout so low ?

Education is the answer.

The introduction of UNIVERSAL SUFFRAGE in the UK was linked to education. Post 1870s as education became important because of the need to wage wars with an educated force ( the Prussians brought this about ) and so by the 1920s we had everyone of each gender and class able to vote in the UK.

What we have done in Afganistan is to impose this DEMOCRATIC model on a country where education has been banned by the Taliban. In fact it could take 10 years before a meaningful election could take place. The elected leaders of the country are elite. The majority are under the influence of the local chiefs and farm the land. The election is something that has nothing to do with them - even if they voted.

Why in 2009 do the USA and UK continue to make the mistakes of our COLONIAL PAST when we tried to impose ( unsuccessfully ) our way of life on countries who had no idea what democracy was and how it could work to their advantage.

MONEY in this situation becomes the currency of voting. The people understand cash - and therefore votes are bought. Guess what > that used to happen directly in the UK. Some would say the election promises are tantamount to that .

We need to put an education system in Afganistan and help them.

We need to pull the army out of the country.

The PEN is mightier than the sword. This war is pure evil and not needed. Call a ceasefire and offer money and chance for the Taliban to put up candidates in elections in their stronghold area. Even let them run Helmand so that the rest of the country can be free.

This is what real STATEMEN would be doing - but all Milliband ( ? ) does is wring his hands. He is stupid like Johnson. I could do Milliband's job by understanding the issues of nationality and religion in this area. The people there want peace and security. We should be able to provide that without a gun. We certainly have not provided it WITH a gun.