'', The Associated Press, 15 June 2009

EXCERPT: "President Hamid Karzai and 40 other candidates begin their official campaigns for Afghanistan's top post Tuesday, an election that will decide who will lead the country through a spike in violence and a surge in U.S. troops to combat it. Karzai has led Afghanistan since soon after U.S.-backed troops invaded in 2001 to oust the hardline Islamist Taliban regime that was sheltering Osama bin Laden. He is the clear front-runner to win a second term, though his standing with Afghans and the international community has weakened in recent years. The campaign period officially begins Tuesday and will close Aug. 18, two days before the vote. Chief among his challengers are former Finance Minister Ashraf Ghani and former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah. There are 41 candidates running for the five-year term, but few are considered serious contenders."

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See also:
'Russia offers Afghanistan aid in establishing political system', RIA Novosti, 15 June 2009
'Crucial to ensure credible Afghan polls: UN envoy', UN News Centre, 15 June 2009
'Taliban raids up, plan to disrupt Afghan poll: govt', Reuters, 14 June 2009
'', AFP, 14 June 2009
'Forty vie to unseat Afghanistan's Karzai', Reuters, 13 June 2009

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