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Democracy in Afghanistan: Disarming the Warlords

U.S.-trained soldiers of Afghanistan's new army.
Tom Bullock, NPR /
U.S.-trained soldiers of Afghanistan's new army.

One of the biggest obstacles to free and fair elections in Afghanistan are the countries warlords. Commanding private armies and controlling vast sections of the country, there is little chance that democracy can come to Afghanistan if these warlords aren't disarmed by this September's election. In the final report in this series, NPR's Renee Montagne looks at efforts to disarm these powerful figures and how they are re-inventing themselves as political leaders.

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