This just in from Afghanistan’s Loya Jirga: “A former president and moderate Jihadi leader has been elected to head the Afghan constitutional assembly, which is to debate and approve the country’s nation-building document, officials said on Monday.” So says Xinhuanet of China.
What on earth is a moderate jihadi? Someone who believes in slaying not all, but just some of the unbelievers wherever he finds them?
“Sibghatullah Mujadadi was elected late Sunday as chairman of the constitutional Loya Jirga, or grand assembly, to oversee fierce debates on many issues of the country’s future constitution expected in the coming days. Mujadadi, known for his outspokenness among Afghan political leaders, won an overwhelming vote in an election for the head of the assembly.
“Out of 489 delegates attending the election following the opening ceremony, 252 of them cast their votes in favor of Mujadadi, the assembly’s acting chairman Pir Syed Ahmad Gilani announced. Mujadadi, who leads the moderate party of the Afghan National Liberation Front, is among important Jihadi figures who fought against the Soviet occupation of the country in 1980s.
“He became a rotatory president of the power-sharing Mujahidin government formed among different anti-Soviet factions in 1992, but the loose coalition collapsed eight months later, resulting inyears of civil conflicts in the country.
“The Loya Jirga, opened by former king Zahir Shah earlier on Sunday morning, is expected to discuss and ratify a new constitution which would pave the way for next year’s general elections.
“Over 500 delegates from across the war-battered Afghanistan gathered at the assembly to decide on fundamental issues, like Islam’s role, women’s rights and the future political system, for a country, which had been ruled by the hard-line Taliban regime for six years.
“Many of the bearded delegates wearing traditional turbans welcomed Mujadadi’s election as chairman of the constitutional assembly with applause and the Islamic slogan of ‘God is Great’.
“‘We the Afghans gave huge sacrifice for Islam and want the constitution to be based on Islamic principles,’ said a cheerful Mujadadi, who was nominated by President Hamid Karzai as Loya Jirga delegate three days before the assembly opening.”