Afghanistan swears in first democratic leader
Declan Walsh in Kabul
Wednesday December 8, 2004
The Guardian UK
"For 30 years coups, assassinations and invasions were the usual means of power transfer in Kabul. But yesterday Hamid Karzai broke with bloody tradition and assumed office with a simple formula of words.

Laying a hand on the Qur'an, Afghanistan's first democratic president swore his allegiance inside the former royal palace that was once the scene of thunderous gunbattles but has since been renovated to welcome 600 guests."