Deadly_JJ Violence_NN1 Ahead_II21 of_II22 Afghanistan_NP1 's_GE Election_NN1 U.S._NP1 officials_NN2 expect_VV0 Karzai_JJ to_TO win_VVI the_AT August_NPM1 20th_MD contest_NN1 Election_NN1 fever_NN1 looks_VVZ different_JJ in_II a_AT1 war-torn_JJ land_NN1 ._. 
In_II Afghanistan_NP1 ,_, there_EX are_VBR some_DD similarities_NN2 with_IW the_AT United_NP1 States_NP1 :_: the_AT campaign_NN1 posters_NN2 ,_, the_AT roadside_NN1 billboards_NN2 ,_, and_CC the_AT presidential_JJ hopefuls_NN2 vying_VVG for_IF attention_NN1 ._. 
Then_RT there_EX are_VBR the_AT decided_JJ distinctions_NN2 ._. 
Like_II the_AT 41_MC candidates_NN2 ._. 
Or_CC the_AT major_JJ offensive_NN1 launched_VVD this_DD1 month_NNT1 by_II the_AT U.S._NP1 military_JJ in_II southern_JJ Afghanistan_NP1 to_TO pry_VVI open_RR more_DAR polling_NN1 stations_NN2 in_II towns_NN2 that_CST have_VH0 been_VBN under_II the_AT control_NN1 of_IO the_AT Taliban_NN1 ,_, according_II21 to_II22 the_AT military_NN1 's_GE best_JJT estimates_NN2 ,_, for_IF several_DA2 years_NNT2 ._. 
The_AT U.S._NP1 marines_NN2 who_PNQS were_VBDR sent_VVN in_II noted_JJ that_CST the_AT Taliban_JJ insurgents_NN2 fight_VV0 remarkably_RR well_RR ._. 
This_DD1 point_NN1 ,_, along_II21 with_II22 a_AT1 deadly_JJ series_NN of_IO attacks_NN2 in_II Kabul_NP1 this_DD1 week_NNT1 ,_, has_VHZ prompted_VVN the_AT Pentagon_NP1 to_TO take_VVI seriously_RR the_AT militants_NN2 '_GE vows_NN2 to_TO disrupt_VVI Afghanistan_NP1 's_VBZ second-ever_RR direct_JJ presidential_JJ election_NN1 on_II August_NPM1 20_MC ._. 
Pentagon_NP1 spokesmen_NN2 say_VV0 that_CST in_II much_DA1 of_IO the_AT country_NN1 there_EX are_VBR nonetheless_RR "_" encouraging_JJ "_" signs_NN2 that_CST things_NN2 are_VBR proceeding_VVG smoothly_RR ._. 
They_PPHS2 point_VV0 to_II 17_MC million_NNO registered_JJ voters_NN2 ._. 
Government_NN1 authorities_NN2 also_RR have_VH0 hired_VVN some_DD 10,000_MC local_JJ Afghans_NN2 to_TO protect_VVI the_AT polls_NN2 in_II 21_MC of_IO the_AT country_NN1 's_GE 34_MC provinces_NN2 ,_, although_CS they_PPHS2 made_VVD a_AT1 point_NN1 of_IO noting_VVG that_CST they_PPHS2 were_VBDR expected_VVN to_TO bring_VVI along_RP their_APPGE own_DA weapons_NN2 to_TO do_VDI this_DD1 ._. 
Despite_II the_AT widespread_JJ frustration_NN1 with_IW corruption_NN1 and_CC violence_NN1 that_CST has_VHZ dogged_VVN President_NNB Hamid_NP1 Karzai_NP1 ,_, U.S._NP1 officials_NN2 generally_RR expect_VV0 him_PPHO1 to_TO win_VVI re-election_NN1 ,_, though_CS not_XX ,_, perhaps_RR ,_, without_IW a_AT1 runoff_NN1 ._. 
The_AT winner_NN1 is_VBZ constitutionally_RR required_VVN to_TO have_VHI 50_MC percent_NNU (_( plus_II one_MC1 )_) of_IO votes_NN2 ._. 
Karzai_NN2 is_VBZ ahead_RL in_II recent_JJ polls_NN2 ,_, with_IW 45_MC percent_NNU of_IO the_AT vote_NN1 ._. 
His_APPGE nearest_JJT rival_NN1 ,_, Abdullah_NP1 Abdullah_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 physician_NN1 and_CC a_AT1 former_DA foreign_JJ minister_NN1 ,_, stands_VVZ at_II 25_MC percent_NNU among_II registered_JJ voters_NN2 ._. 
In_II the_AT meantime_NNT1 ,_, there_EX is_VBZ already_RR some_DD jockeying_VVG around_RP post-election_JJ reorganization_NN1 that_CST could_VM follow_VVI Karzai_NP1 's_GE presumed_JJ victory_NN1 ._. 
U.S._NP1 officials_NN2 ,_, for_REX21 example_REX22 ,_, are_VBR lobbying_VVG hard_RR to_TO create_VVI an_AT1 executive_NN1 position_NN1 to_TO begin_VVI addressing_VVG the_AT country_NN1 's_GE rampant_JJ corruption_NN1 and_CC government_NN1 ineffectiveness_NN1 ._. 
Ashraf_VV0 Ghani_NP1 ,_, Karzai_NP1 's_VBZ widely_RR respected_VVN former_DA finance_NN1 minister_NN1 and_CC once_RR a_AT1 contender_NN1 to_TO be_VBI secretary_NN1 general_JJ of_IO the_AT United_JJ Nations_NN2 ,_, told_VVD reporters_NN2 that_CST he_PPHS1 had_VHD been_VBN contacted_VVN by_II both_RR Ambassador_NNB Karl_NP1 Eikenberry_NP1 and_CC special_JJ envoy_NN1 Richard_NP1 Holbrooke_NP1 to_TO serve_VVI in_II a_AT1 chief_JJ executive_NN1 position_NN1 under_II Karzai_NP1 ._. 
"_" I_PPIS1 have_VH0 been_VBN approached_VVN repeatedly_RR ;_; the_AT offer_NN1 is_VBZ on_II the_AT table_NN1 ,_, "_" Ghani_NP1 ,_, who_PNQS is_VBZ also_RR a_AT1 presidential_JJ candidate_NN1 ,_, told_VVD reporters_NN2 ._. 
"_" I_PPIS1 have_VH0 not_XX accepted_VVN it_PPH1 ._. "_" 
Nor_CC ,_, he_PPHS1 said_VVD ,_, has_VHZ he_PPHS1 declined_VVN ._. 
The_AT prospect_NN1 of_IO having_VHG Ghani_NP1 ,_, a_AT1 technocrat_NN1 and_CC longtime_JJ member_NN1 of_IO the_AT World_NN1 Bank_NN1 staff_NN ,_, in_II a_AT1 position_NN1 of_IO power_NN1 is_VBZ heartening_JJ to_II U.S._NP1 officials_NN2 ,_, who_PNQS are_VBR ,_, to_TO put_VVI it_PPH1 mildly_RR ,_, frustrated_VVN with_IW Karzai_NP1 's_GE progress_NN1 to_II date_NN1 ._. 
Equally_RR promising_JJ ,_, they_PPHS2 add_VV0 ,_, is_VBZ the_AT fact_NN1 that_CST the_AT president_NN1 has_VHZ n't_XX nixed_VVN the_AT possibility_NN1 ._. 
"_" Karzai_NP1 does_VDZ believe_VVI it_PPH1 is_VBZ a_AT1 good_JJ idea_NN1 that_CST someone_PN1 like_II Ghani_NP1 joins_VVZ the_AT team_NN1 ,_, "_" said_VVD a_AT1 Karzai_JJ spokesman_NN1 ._. 
Despite_II this_DD1 bonhomie_NN1 ,_, Holbrooke_NP1 noted_VVD during_II a_AT1 talk_NN1 at_II a_AT1 Washington_NP1 think_VV0 tank_NN1 this_DD1 month_NNT1 that_CST the_AT election_NN1 results_NN2 may_VM not_XX be_VBI clear_JJ for_IF weeks_NNT2 ._. 
"_" There_EX 'll_VM be_VBI disputes_NN2 ,_, as_CSA there_EX are_VBR in_II American_JJ elections_NN2 ,_, "_" he_PPHS1 said_VVD ._. 
"_" We_PPIS2 are_VBR n't_XX going_VVGK to_TO know_VVI on_II the_AT evening_NNT1 of_IO August_NPM1 20_MC who_PNQS won_VVD ._. 
CNN_NP1 is_VBZ not_XX going_VVGK to_TO call_VVI this_DD1 election_NN1 ._. "_" 
