As Afghan Polls Open, Contest for Presidency Tightens

by Carlotta Gall
Afghanistan’s presidential race is proving tighter than expected as polls opened in an election that has become a critical benchmark of the nation’s progress for the Afghan government and the Obama administration.

The major question, diplomats and analysts said, is whether President Hamid Karzai will succeed in winning over 50 percent of the vote in the first round on Thursday, thus securing a victory, or be pushed into a second, more unpredictable round of voting. continue reading...