(Thumbnail image: UK Ministry of Defense)

“There are strong indications a recount based on suspected fraud will point to a second round of voting.  The Karzai camp may not accept that, believing a valid recount should leave the President’s preliminary result nearly intact—well above 50 percent, making him the outright winner.”(Al Jazeera English)

A U.N. backed investigation panel say results in Afghanistan’s August presidential elections are invalid.

Citing "clear and convincing evidence of fraud," the Election Complaints Commission says current President Hamid Karzai did not get the 50-percent needed for a decisive win — likely sparking a run-off.  

But now there’s talk of a possible power-sharing agreement between Karzai and his opponent, Abdullah Abdullah. (ABC News)

We’re taking a look at what’s ahead for the Afghan government with perspectives from The New York times, CNN, Al Jazeera, France 24, and The Wall Street Journal.  

With President Obama’s decision on sending troops hinging on a stable government, the The New York Times says if Karzai rejects the investigation results, it could prove even more risky than a runoff.

“Mr. Karzai could use his influence over the Independent Election Commission, the Afghan body that will certify Monday’s results, to reject the findings.  That would pitch Afghanistan into a constitutional crisis just as the Obama administration is trying to make a decision on whether to send more troops here to halt the Taliban’s advance in the country’s deepening war.”

Even though he doesn’t have support from a simple majority, CNN’s Chris Lawrence says Karzai still has a strong lead—but a runoff election could be a Catch-22 for the country.

 “If you have another runoff, the troops that would be needed to secure another election, those are troops you would have to pulling from other missions that could be doing the other missions that General McChrystal has wanted them to be performing.  And If the runoff does not occur, then you’re looking at pushing it back into the Spring.  That leaves the entire winter with no exact stable government in Afghanistan.”

France 24 reports the U-S and France are wading into the election results—pushing for a middle ground in the Afghan government.

“With weekend visits by U.S. Senator John Kerry and French Foreign Minister, Bernard Kouchner, the West has intensified diplomatic pressure.  They want Karzai and Abdullah to work together.  I think we succeeded in getting the two sides to come closer together.  We got President Karzai to accept the election results as well as working with Abdullah Abdullah towards a program of reforms.”

After months of power wrangling, The Wall Street Journal says there’s still reason to believe the two sides will compromise.  

“Both sides are loath to engage in a runoff, which could be hobbled by low turnout, security risks and fraud. Officials with knowledge of the talks said it could take more than a week to reach an agreement.”

So what do you think?  Will President Karzai dismiss the results out of hand--or strike a deal with Abdullah?  Should America commit more troops despite the instability?