Riz Khan - Afghanistan goes to the polls - 19 Aug 09 - Part1

We ask: Will the vote give the central government in Kabul the legitimacy it needs to face the Taliban and deal with the controversial and open-ended presence of foreign powers on its territory? Will Afghans perceive the elections to be free and transparent, or will they feel that Washington installed the country's new leader? Will the results be disputed, or lead to more violence?