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Kingdom of Afghanistan
Official Name: Kingdom of Afghanistan
Ruling Party: Hezb-e Motahed Demokrat-e Afghanistannote
Ideology: Islamic Modernismnote
Afghanistan, The Graveyard of Empires, has lived through a full century of turmoil. The constitutional experiment in the years under Zahir Shah proved to be a failure, and the country would live through twenty years of plague, dictatorship and civil war before it saw peace once again. Even though the Tehran Accords paved the way for a renewal of democracy and a period of relative calm, the scars left by Afghanistan's black years are yet to disappear. General Tropes
- Allohistorical Allusion:
- The flag of Afghanistan here is a slightly modified variant of the real flag used by the internationally-recognized Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in OTL.
- The 1978 Coup attempt known as the Saur Revolution in our timeline still took place, although it was organized by a small clique of progressive officers led by Hafizullah Amin and had no communist involvement. Here, Amin's coup attempt was a failure. However, one of his allies, Colonel General Abdul Qadir (who also took part in the coup that brought down the monarchy) fell under the radar and managed to survive the subsequent purge thanks to his positive relationship with Daoud Khan. Qadir would go on to organize yet another coup in 1980 that succeeded in ousting Khan, going down in history as the Aviators' Coup.
- Benevolent Boss: Afghanistan has maintained its influence over Balochistan by respecting Baloch demands for greater autonomy and fostering a relationship of mutual benefit, where Afghanistan has shielded Balochistan from outside aggression in exchange for exclusive access to Baloch ports, leaving Balochs to tend to their own affairs as an otherwise independent state. Even after the Balochs overthrew the Khanate in a revolution, they still maintained their close ties to Afghanistan, fearing Indian incursions and seeing the Afghans as preferable to any other potential overlord.
- Corrupt Politician: Due to the predominance of tribal influence, Afghan politics operate on a system of clientelism where members of a certain group are favored and given government posts regardless of their merits. As one would expect, this has created a breeding ground for nepotism and corruption.
- Defector from Decadence: One of the largest political parties in Afghanistan, Jamiat-e Islami, broke with the Muslim Brotherhood due to disagreements with the latter's promotion of extreme fundamentalism. The Jamiat would go on to adopt a more moderate ideology based on Islamic Democracy that resonated with Afghanistan's political situation.
- Democracy Is Flawed: Afghan democracy is wrought by tribalism, fundamentalism and corruption that threaten to destabilize the country once again and toss it into yet another cycle of crisis, civil war and dictatorship. However, multi-party democracy has proven to be the best possible system for Afghanistan due to its ability to represent the interests of several groups and give them some kind of control over their own affairs, and it is entirely possible that Afghan democracy could fight through another set of trials and tribulations and survive stronger than before.
- The Fundamentalist: While they are somewhat moderate, most right-leaning parties in Afghan politics subscribe to some variation of Islamism and have a strong socially conservative, mostly rural religious base. The predominance of Islam in politics is reflected in public organs as well, as Afghanistan has long abandoned its secular pursuits and has made Islam into an official state religion.
- A House Divided: Afghan politics are determined by ethnic and tribal divisions; primarily split between Pashtun and non-Pashtun groups. These divisions extend to the left-right divide as well, with Pashtuns being more susceptible to supporting right-wing Islamist parties whereas Tajiks, Uzbeks and other non-Pashtuns tend to support progressive and secular parties.
- Proxy War: The Afghan Civil War, which lasted from 1982 to 1988, was a proxy war between the Empire of Japan and the United States. The Japanese propped up the Republican military junta under Abdul Qadir, whereas the Americans supported the right-wing insurgents led primarily by Ahmed Gailani and the National Islamic Front. America would go on to win this conflict and remove Japan from South Asian and Central Asian politics entirely, killing what was left of the Empire's dwindling influence.
- Rebuilt Pedestal: While the Afghan monarchy under Zahir Shah was notiriously corrupt and authoritarian even during its brief stint with constitutionalism, the years of turmoil, hunger and conflict Afghanistan faced during the Republican years led to many Afghans remembering the monarchy in a positive light, allowing Zahir Shah to return to the country after the royalists won the 1991 referendum.
- Rightful King Returns: Not long after the Second Republic was toppled, a popular referendum was held and the monarchy was restored. King Mohammad Zahir Shah was massively popular at the time and his return to the country after two decades of exile was met with celebration.
Prime Minister
Mirwais Yasini
Role: Prime Minister
Party: Hezb-e Motahed Demokrat-e Afghanistannote
Ideology: Islamic Modernismnote
The incumbent Prime Minister of Afghanistan, having been elected in 2009.- Being Good Sucks: Yasini's attempts at bipartisanship and his crusade against corruption has bred suspicion from his allies and created many enemies, while his liberal views are alien to Afghan politics and society.
- Deal with the Devil: Much to the chagrin of the Americans, part of Yasini's economic reforms have included opening up the country to the European Customs Union in a bid to pursue future membership in the Asian Development Organization and attract German investors. While Yasini isn't entirely sure what intentions the Germans have for his country, he knows the rapprochement will be beneficial to Afghanistan in the long run.
- Internal Reformist: He has fought to eradicate corruption in Afghan politics and to develop the nation's economy through private enterprise and foreign investment.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: His bipartisanship and willingness to work with non-Pashtuns has been applauded by many who believe his government marks a shift towards permanent stability in Afghan democracy.
- Suffrage and Political Liberation: Yasini has tried to promote a more inclusive form of Afghan nationalism, and his government has been the first to break from Pashtun nationalism in the post-republican period and work to improve the living standards of national minorities.
King
Ahmad Shah Khan
Role: King of Afghanistan
The King of Afghanistan and son of Mohammad Zahir Shah. Ahmad Shah Khan serves as a constitutional monarch, holding no influence over politics and merely serving as a figurehead and a source of pride and stability.- Taking Up the Mantle: He rose to the Afghan throne after the death of Zahir Shah in 2007. He has worked hard to win over the hearts of the Afghan people since then, hoping to enjoy the same popularity as his father one day.
