I was in Afghanistan working on the 2005 Parliamentary and Provincial Council elections and took this photograph - a woman who had just voted and lifted her burka to shyly display her inked finger - at one of the polling centers in Kabul.This past Sunday, President Hamid Karzai's challenger Abdullah Abdullah announced his withdrawal from the presidential race, handing Karzai a victory by default just a week before the constitutionally mandated run-off, thereby further delegitimizing an already flawed and fraudulent election and the resulting administration. The only side rightfully claiming victory is the Taliban. Afghan citizens like this woman, who risked their lives to participate in the democratic process, are left wondering what the future holds. At this point, it's anyone's guess.
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