Afghan Vote Is in Danger

Thursday's presidential election in Afghanistan is in danger if suicide bombing continues, officials tell the Financial Times. On Saturday, a bomber attacked the NATO headquarters in Kabul, killing an estimated eight people and wounding 100 others. Already the number of polling stations that can be safely opened has fallen from 7,000 to 6,000. One security expert said that the bomb came with a clear message: “The message is: ‘We can strike at will at the center and, if we can strike there, we can strike at the polling stations.’ It’s timed to cause psychological damage, just as much as physical." The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack. With a rise in popularity, presidential candidate and former foreign minister Abdullah Abdullah has made the election a far tighter one than expected by President Hamid Karzai, who is seeking another term. Karzai said the election would go on despite the violence.