"Tribal elders" killed by suicide bomber in Afghanistan

A suicide bomber detonated his vest full of explosives in northeastern Afghanistan on Wednesday, killing 10 people, including five schoolboys and an influential tribal elder and former military commander who supported the Afghan government.

The target of the midday bombing in Kunar province was Malik Zareen, a leader of Afghan forces during the Soviet occupation in the 1980s, a provincial police chief said.

The police chief, Khalilullah Ziayi, said seven others were also wounded in the blast in the province's Asmar district.

"Unfortunately, the suicide attacker targeted a local council meeting of the tribal elders," he said.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/04/13/ap/asia/main20053565.shtml

I will never understand how our government leaders can believe that we can bring 21st century secular freedom and democracy to people still ruled by councils of "tribal elders".