The people of Afghanistan go to the polls today, and they do so in a climate of fear. But if the many problems threatening this historic election can be overcome, voters will set their troubled country on the road to recovery - and give it fresh hope.
This is the first direct presidential election in Afghanistan since the nation became independent 85 years ago. And it is taking place against overwhelming odds.
Forces loyal to the Taleban, the extremist Islamic regime ousted by US-led troops in 2001, are seeking to disrupt the polls through a combination of terror attacks and threats of violence. Twelve election workers have been killed and more than 30 wounded. There are fears that polling stations will come under attack.
Then there are the warlords who, with their private militia, have huge swathes of the country under their control. They have been seeking to intimidate voters in a bid to influence the result.
So the election will take place amid tight security. There is even a bunker below the stadium where votes will be counted, to act as a refuge in case it comes under attack.
Faced with all these problems, it is a wonder that anyone registered to vote. Yet 10.5 million people did so - almost 42 per cent of them women. This is extraordinary. It suggests that the long-suffering people of Afghanistan are keen to exercise their new-found democratic rights. But the high figure has also given rise to fears some voters have registered more than once at the behest of the warlords.