Politics, Afghan-Style

Then there's former King Zahir Shah. "The king is here as a private citizen, but if he's secretly convinced that the people want him to be king, he could become king again through the Loya Jirga," says a U.S. official. "That's a dangerous scenario."

While the king has a great deal of support from the Pashtuns--the country's dominant ethnic group--many of the others, particularly the Tajiks, view him as an unacceptable alternative. The most likely scenario is that the interim leader, Hamid Karzai, will retain power. And, to appease the Pashtuns, who are dissatisfied with the Tajik-dominated government, there will likely be a reshuffling of Panjshiri leaders at the key ministries--Defense, Foreign and Interior.

Finding an ethnic balance for the future government will be a key component of the Loya Jirga, as will the inclusion of a much-neglected group: women. Humaira Nehmaty, 38, a professor of law at Mazar-e Sharif University and a member of the Loya Jirga commission, describes the regime of the Taliban as an unimaginably dark period. She was forced to go into hiding after organizing a rally for women's rights in Mazar-e Sharif and spent the last three years moving frequently to avoid capture. The stress from her fugitive life caused three miscarriages. "As a woman and a mother I can't describe the feeling of being allowed to participate in the affairs of our country," she says. "It's a victory that I feel in my bones."

Sitting in a cluttered tent at the offices of the Loya Jirga commission is perhaps the greatest sign of progress for women's' rights--a group of men from Herat province who have accompanied female candidates to the Loya Jirga elections. "Women should be seen as human beings," says Mohammed Asem Mohseni, 48. "We decided that one person from our family should stand as a candidate for the Loya Jirga and we chose my wife."

Seated on a cushion further inside the tent, Sultan Ahmad Nawar, 49, was accompanying his daughter Mahmoonir, 22. "My daughter has been chosen to participate in this important event, but this is Afghanistan. It's not proper to let women travel alone."

As the Loya Jirga participants get briefings over the next couple of days, other groups, such as residual forces of the Taliban, Al Qaeda or former warlords, may be having more sinister briefings. Gen. John McColl, commander of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) admits that there has been specific intelligence about potential car bombs, suicide attacks and other terrorist acts which could derail the process. But preparations have been made. "Security is as effective as can be," McColl says.