Afghanistan and Pakistan, two nations that share both a long border and a long and troubled history, are braced for the outcome of two very different kinds of battles. In Afghanistan, the resolution of a disputed presidential election may be close at hand even as the outcome remains deeply uncertain. In Pakistan, a fierce fight between government forces and Taliban militants appears to be reaching a crescendo in the southern portion of that country.

    Hamid Karzai, the embattled president of Afghanistan, appears to have accepted a runoff vote to determine the final outcome of the disputed election many outside observers have labeled corrupt and incomplete. An international audit of the previous election stripped Karzai of nearly a third of the votes he received, leaving him below the 50 percent threshold that would have allowed him to avoid a runoff against his main rival, Abdullah Abdullah. While a date of November 7 has been set for the new election, the timing remains uncertain because the harsh Afghan winter is rapidly approaching. Any delay in the vote, however, opens the door for further Taliban gains and makes Karzai's hold on power even more uncertain.

    The Obama administration has been pressing hard for a resolution to the disputed election, because the decision over whether or not to send more troops to the region depends largely on the status and stability of the Afghan government. In a statement released Tuesday morning, President Obama said of Karzai's decision to accept a runoff election:

I welcome President Karzai's statement today accepting the Independent Electoral Commission's certification of the August 20 election results, and agreeing to participate in a second round of the election. This is an important step forward in ensuring a credible process for the Afghan people which results in a government that reflects their will.

While this election could have remained unresolved to the detriment of the country, President Karzai's constructive actions established an important precedent for Afghanistan's new democracy. The Afghan Constitution and laws are strengthened by President Karzai's decision, which is in the best interests of the Afghan people.

I congratulate the Afghan people on the patience and resilience they have shown throughout this long election process. Given Afghanistan's recent history, it is extraordinary that they were able to overcome threats and violence to express their democratic right to choose their leader. Insecurity in the country prevented some Afghans from voting, but it is a testimony to the bravery of the Afghan people that so many of them did come out to vote in the first round under tremendously difficult circumstances.

I commend both the Independent Electoral Commission and the Electoral Complaints Commission for carrying out their mandates. Throughout this process, the United States has been interested above all in the strength and independence of those institutions, and the need for them to fulfill their mandate on behalf of all Afghans.

I congratulate President Karzai and Dr. Abdullah, who both earned the support of voters from across the country. I also commend all of the other Presidential candidates who made this such a vibrant campaign.

It is now vital that all elements of Afghan society continue to come together to advance democracy, peace and justice. We look forward to a second round of voting, and the completion of the process to choose the President of Afghanistan. In that effort, the United States and the international community are committed to partnering with the Afghan people.

    In Pakistan, violence between Pakistan's government forces and Taliban fighters increased dramatically. In the southern section of the country, government forces recaptured the strategic town Kotkai as part of their push to retake Southern Waziristan. Taliban insurgents staged a counteroffensive to take back the town, and the outcome of the clash remains uncertain.

    The battle was punctuated by two suicide bombings at the International Islamic University in Islamabad on Tuesday, which killed six people and wounded at least 20. Pakistani officials immediately linked the twin bombings to the Taliban forces fighting in the south. The International Islamic University hosts more than 12,000 students, half of them women, and focuses on an educational ethic that incorporates Islam into the modern world. Rehman Malik, Pakistan's interior minister, was quoted by Reuters on the bombings as saying, "Those who attacked the university have shown that they are neither friends of Islam nor of Pakistan. Those carrying out this aggression are just testing nerves of our nation."