Has Democracy Come to Afghanistan?

With Hamid Karzai termed out of office, eight candidates are running for president of Afghanistan. Some US officials claim this weekend's election will accomplish "the first, peaceful, democratic" transition of power in that country's history. But it might not turn out that way. The Taliban has already increased the level of violence, and voter fraud is predicted on what's called an "industrial" scale. Nonetheless, thousands of potential voters have showed up at rallies, and the increased participation of women reflects profound cultural change. Will the election preserve those gains by creating a government perceived as "legitimate" by Afghans and by Americans?