A congested race along the long and winding road to democracy

Afghan politics has entered potentially its most divisive phase since the overthrow of Taliban-al-Qaeda rule nearly three years ago. With a presidential election scheduled for October 9, it appears that President Hamid Karzai stands a good chance of crossing the line. But he may not have a great deal to celebrate afterwards. On the home front, there will be no legislature to endorse and back his Government for at least another six months, and he will have to contend with disgruntled election losers who exercise considerable military power in parts of the country. In foreign policy, he will face diminishing international focus on Afghanistan, especially if George Bush loses the US presidential election. Neither of these bodes well for constructing a stable, democratic Afghanistan.