Afghanistan: American Expats Laud Obama Win, Voice Hope for US Policy Toward Afghanistan

It was a long night, but a short vigil. Expecting a drawn-out counting process, American expatriates in Kabul had readied themselves for a slow presidential election tally. When it quickly became clear during the early morning hours that Barack Obama was headed for a landslide victory, the central Kabul party grew lively.

Though open to all, members of the local chapter of the Democratic Party-affiliated organization Democrats Abroad dominated the Kabul event. Supporters of Republican presidential candidate John McCain seemed reluctant to identify themselves.

The political sympathies of the US expatriate community in Afghanistan would appear overwhelmingly Democratic, despite the fact that the past seven years of reconstruction have coincided with a Republican administration. It is they who expressed the greatest sense of optimism -- both for their own country and the hope for a change in Afghanistan.

Describing herself as ecstatic about the results, Mary Louise Vitelli, who works as a legal advisor to the Afghan Ministry of Energy and Mining, said, "I really believe America needs change and today has reminded us of what America can be."

Like many other Americans working in Afghanistan, however, Vitelli does not believe that the Obama campaign really articulated a clear vision for Afghanistan. "They have yet to articulate their policies, but what is hopeful is that it is clear they will stay engaged in Afghanistan."

Vitelli feels the new US administration should boost its engagement in the economic development of Afghanistan, including building the private sector. Concentrating solely on the military-security side of the Afghan reconstruction equation would not help solve Afghanistan's existing problems.

"The new policy should also take a regional view of Afghanistan, looking at Central Asia, South Asia and the Middle East. We also need far more coordination with the Afghan government and a way has to be found to improve the engagement with the Afghan people," she said.

Describing the last eight years as a "train wreck," Jon Alan said he was celebrating the result because "Americans need to be respected again in the world." Alan, who works in the non-governmental sector, expressed hope that the change would also mean more support for Afghanistan in a way that would "stop Al Qaeda and the Taliban," but felt the conflict could not be won militarily.

In the midst of the shouting, hugging and even tears of joy, Eric Bartz, an aid worker, was relatively calm, saying he had been expecting this result all along. While describing himself as a social liberal, he felt the result represented huge progress for America, showing "Americans are ready to move beyond racial politics."

At the same time, Bartz doesn't believe that there are big changes looming in the US approach toward Afghanistan. "The policy angle is dictated by the military," Bartz suggested. "The focus on Afghanistan will be very important, but the increased attention alone will not guarantee success." A new administration, he felt, ought to work on crafting a common agenda with Afghan leaders.

"Right now there are growing doubts among Afghans on whether we have the same agenda. Without the Afghan people, there is no way we are going to win here. We need to reassess the military angle," he said.

Bartz, along with his compatriot Nellika Little, both identified corruption as a major problem. Little, who has lived in Afghanistan for many years, said, "The problems here are not just about the Taliban. Corruption has been allowed to run rampant here."

But she emphasised her personal emotional joy at the electoral result, saying, "I can go home now. I can move back home. This is the tipping point after eight years of an apathy and passivity. For my generation, this is the first time we have heard an inspirational speech. Now we have someone who can speak to the rest of the world, have a dialogue."

Susan Marx, who ran the Democrats Abroad campaign from Kabul, identified the openness for dialogue as the most important factor for US policy towards Afghanistan.

A first time voter -- having become an American citizen in 2005 after marrying an American -- Marx is passionate about her support for the democratic campaign. She said the Obama victory was very important for Afghanistan because it would give a higher priority to the country in American foreign policy. "Too much attention was diverted away to Iraq," she said. The United States needed an openness towards talking to countries in the region "not from within an ideological standpoint but a strategic standpoint."

"Obama understands the significance and complexities of this country and the region," Marx continued. "He doesn't need talking points when he is speaking about this place because he understands it and its strategic significance."