A laboratory case for nation building.
President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, elected in May, faces a tall order. The underlying causes for the civil war– unequal access to resources, abuse of power, and regional instability – continue to haunt Sierra Leone. Illegal diamond smuggling continues. Peace here is fragile.

Nonetheless, Sierra Leone is deemed a success story. Its transformation is a lesson in what can be accomplished with enough international attention, money, and goodwill.

Maybe Bush needs to get more nations on board in helping to rebuild Afghanistan.