ARTICLE: Marred Afghan Vote Leaves U.S. in a Delicate Spot, By MARK LANDLER and HELENE COOPER, New York Times, September 8, 2009

The worst possible outcome in the Afghan vote: decent proof of fraud and Karzai holding a slim majority lead.

The only way out of this pickle seems to be absorbing Abdullah into the government, and with the U.S. already looking at Ghani as a "CEO" possibility as everybody seems to want to make Karzai more symbolic than real as a leader, given his weaknesses. So the question becomes, what sort of package makes Abdullah give up his fight?