Afghanistan Needs A Hero: How A Unifying National Leader Can Bring Peace - huffingtonpost

The above photo of President John F. Kennedy welcoming the former and last King of Afghanistan, Zahir Shah, to the White House in September, 1963 made me think about the parallels that exist between these two icons. Both were immensely popular, tried to push progressive reform and fought for peace in our time. Americans reminisce about the days of Camelot the way Afghans long for the return of Royalty. They are tragic figures - Kennedy taken away too young, the King ousted too soon - and both left this earth with unfinished business. Fortunately for the United States, most of Kennedy's dreams were ultimately realized, whereas Afghanistan's future was shattered by more than 30 years of unending war. - More

His name was King Zahir Shah, a Pashtun who presided over the most peaceful era in Afghan history - a run lasting forty years until ousted by a family coup in 1973. He could have laid the foundation for another epoch of peace until his passing in 2007, but we'll never know because of outside interference led by none other than the United States. Thus, instead of being left a society on a path towards stability, Afghans are only left to wonder "What if?"........ More,
Michael Hughes: Afghanistan Needs A Hero: How A Unifying National ...