Newly Elected Afghan Parliament Convenes

KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghanistan's first popularly elected parliament in more than three decades convened Monday, marking a major step toward democracy following the ouster of the hardline Taliban.

But there were concerns about whether the legislature would be a constructive political force. More than half of the new lawmakers are regional strongmen, and fears were high that they will block efforts to reform government and bring to justice those responsible for years of bloodshed.

Vice President Dick Cheney flew in to attend the opening session, which began with a reading from the Koran, followed by the national anthem and a folksong by schoolgirls dressed in brightly colored robes.

After the delegates were sworn in, President Hamid Karzai called the gathering a display of Afghan unity.

more;http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051219/ap_on_re_as/afghan_parliament;_

Boy, Unka Dick is getting around for the photo ops.

major step toward democracy...

on his "traveling party". I wonder if that included Lynn :shrug:

snip>
Security forces surrounded the Cheneys' vehicle and walked along as it moved with their hands on the side of the vehicle. A gun-toting Afghan soldier dressed in fatigues pushed the rest of Cheney's entourage against an outside wall until the gates to the parliament building closed behind them.

Afghan security forces insisted on searching all the bags carried by members of Cheney's staff and the press who were left outside. Secret Service agents objected, saying they had already been checked. A White House advance staffer already on site came out and angrily demanded that the Afghans admit military aides carrying the briefcase that contains the U.S. government's nuclear weapon codes.

"I'm telling you to open the gates now," the White House staffer said. "These are the vice president's military aides."

The Afghans allowed Cheney's military aides through but insisted on doing complete body searches of the rest of his traveling party. Men were searched outside in a dusty courtyard, while women were taken in a small room and searched completely by hand by Afghan women.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/19/AR2005121900109.html