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Article: Enter the professor: Afghanistan.
- Article from:
- The Economist (US)
- Article date:
- July 4, 1992
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1992 Economist Newspaper Ltd. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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THE new president of Afghanistan, Burhanuddin Rabbani, is the first Afghan ruler to take power peacefully since 1901. That year the "Iron Amir", King Abdurrahman Khan, his enemies destroyed or cowed, died in bed and left the throne to his son, Habibullah.
Mr Rabbani assumed office on June 28th. The interim president, Sibghatullah Mujaddidi, appointed after the fall of the Najibullah government in April, handed over power to the Leadership Council, made up of mujahideen leaders. The council then agreed to Mr Rabbani's appointment. Mr Mujaddidi refused to hand over power directly to Mr Rabbani because, it was said, he had wanted to keep the job for himself. Even this ...