Elections heralded as the dawn of democracy in war-ravaged Afghanistan will be hijacked by warlords able to intimidate voters and candidates to entrench their own power, a leading rights group warned Tuesday. The U.S. ambassador acknowledged problems ahead of the country’s first-ever direct presidential vote on Oct. 9, but insisted recent demotions for faction leaders and a belated disarmament drive are “breaking the back of warlordism.” Full Story