Afghanistan located in South Central Asian region has acquired an interesting venue for demographic studies. Thirty years of wars and instability coupled with an ongoing war on terror by a coalition of around forty countries in Afghanistan have created an atmosphere of uneven, uncertain and unplanned haphazard development in the country’s population affecting the population pyramid quantitatively. On the other hand, the quality of the population has also been affected by a multiplicity of factors including social, political, economic and even military. Each one of the areas above influences the country’s demography. A thorough study of the demographic changes would therefore require a discussion of all of the above. An analytical study of the population pyramid and the changing picture of demographic statistics would reveal a wealth of information on the situations in a country still in the grip of war. For example: Afghanistan, declared an independent country is practically under indirect occupation of forces that fight terror on its territory. The local administration is limited in its decisions regarding security, and balanced development.

It is of paramount importance to know that democratic political institutions had existed in the country to shape political affairs prior to president Dauod took over in 1973 in a coup d'etat; constitutional monarchy was abolished and Daoud announced himself as president of the Afghan Republic. The coup d'etat since then has developed to be a major and decisive component in the Afghan political culture. During the Russians' invasion, several Soviet

In Afghanistan, the warlords are fighting each other again, as they have for decades. Their rivalries threaten the peace our soldiers won. Their violence could cost the lives of Americans now guarding President Hamid Karzai.

I am having the experience of my life here in Kabul. Landing in Kabul Valley, in the middle of the beautiful Hindu Kush Mountains was a surreal feeling. It still hasn't hit me that I am in Afghanistan, a place that existed only in my dreams. I thought I would feel homesick but the moment I landed in Kabul Airport I felt the majestic mountains embrace me like a long lost mother and the battered but resilient ground support me like a brave! father.

Afghanistan’s economy being ravaged almost completely, its reconstruction has to be started ipso facto from scratch or “Tabula raza”. The pattern of reconstruction chosen will determine the direction of the consequent political, social, and economic character of the Afghan society. Every precautionary measures must be taken to adduce this economy to the path of highest possible rate of growth with its benefit distributed equitably among all strata of the Afghan community, securing for the country as a whole a long lasting peace and stability.

I am a member of the Loya Jirga’s silent majority – or rather, silenced majority – who came to Kabul expecting to shape our nation’s future but instead find ourselves being dragged back into the past. We came from all parts of the country to claim our freedom and democracy, but instead are being met with systematic threats and intimidation aimed at undermining our free choice.

prepared for the Afghan Assistance Coordination Authority (AACA): There is a consensus in Afghan society: violence as a means of compelling the majority to submit to the will of minority must end. The people's aspirations must be represented and reflected in an accountable government that delivers value on a daily basis.

It is a fact that for as long as history remembers, human societies in their long historical evolution have used councils and meetings to decide on issues that directly impacted their lives within their families, villages, tribes and regions. Even prehistoric man used councils in deciding how to deal with the wild that threatened his life or how to deal with natural calamities or even hostile neighboring tribes. But in Afghanistan’s history councils have played a greater role for a number of reasons that will be explained in this paper.

This is becoming a familiar pattern -- the US makes a mess of things and the UN is forced to come in and clean up, but without the political or military muscle to get the job done. Then when it blows up several months or years later, we the blame while the US is busy bombing elsewhere. UN field officer.

In order for the contemplated transitional government to succeed to bring about in Afghanistan a democratic system of political power fit for the country, the existence of an effective state apparatus with appropriate state institutions is indispensable. Such a state apparatus, while ensuring continuity in the normal conduct of the country's public affairs, would take necessary steps towards transition to democracy by legalizing all the required freedoms including those of assembly, of association for political parties, of access to media and of organizing competitive elections.

By: Ashraf Ghani, William Maley, Ahmad Rashid, and Olivier Roy They write: "Economic and social issues such as education cannot await a political settlement. The absence or weakness of institutions is one of the causes of the conflict and makes any purely political settlement difficult if not impossible. Hence efforts at reconstruction and institution and institution building need to precede and act as a catalyst for political agreements rather then reverse