James Madison Center for Civic Engagement: Democracy Matters

"Afghanistan could have been a successful case of state building, but the failure of the U.S. and international community to implement accountability led to the downfall of the regime," says Dr. Samiullah Nuristani, former Head of Policy and Planning in the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. "Most of the aid was lost to waste and fraud. There is a lack of political will to address corruption." Dr. Samiullah Nuristani (JMU Public Administration '09, JMU Master's of Public Administration, '11 and Strategic Leadership Studies, '20), who is a Research Associate in the JMU Mahatma Gandhi Center's Justice and Nonviolence Research Lab, shares his journey as a refugee, and his experiences and expertise on governance in Afghanistan. Dr. Nuristani also highlighted the importance of democratic legitimacy: "What gives legitimacy to any regime is the people's consent. We have to ensure that democracy is formed organically and not imposed externally or by domestic elites