Afghan Journal

Afghan court underscores governance challenge

(British Former soldier Bill Shaw (L) sits alongside colleague Maiwand Limar in the Afghan anti-corruption appeals court at the start of his appeal against a two-year conviction for bribery. Shaw's chaotic court appearance underscores the challenge of improving the access to reliable justice for ordinary Afghans.)

International aid workers in Afghanistan — and even new U.S. commander General David Petraeus – like to talk of building governance capacity, which basically means making sure the country runs its schools, courts, health services and so on properly.

But if you want a glimpse of the civil challenges still facing Afghanistan nine years after the ousting of the Taliban, you could do worse than talk to British ex-soldier Bill Shaw.

Shaw was on Sunday acquitted on a two-year conviction for trying to pay a $25,000 bribe for the release of two vehicles impounded by the Afghan intelligence services over vague registration irregularities.