CNN is reporting that Abdullah Abdullah will drop out of the Afghan runoff scheduled for Nov. 7. The report is attributed to a single "Western source close to the Afghan leadership" -- Zalmay Khalilzad, maybe? -- and says Abdullah will formally announce his decision this weekend.
Khalilzad is quoted on the record later in the story -- which doesn't necessarily mean he isn't also the unnamed source quoted at the top.
Update: The Times of London advances the story a bit with quotes from several sources who say it is "increasingly unlikely" that Abdullah will take part in the runoff.





