____Afghanistan
Edited Aug 4, 2004 12:21 pm
Ethnolinguistic Groups in Afghanistan
(2175 previous messages)
One of the country’s most senior prosecutors said Saturday that President Hamid Karzai fired him last week after he repeatedly refused to block corruption investigations at the highest levels of Mr. Karzai’s government.
Western officials confirm reports that President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan and others in his government have repeatedly thwarted prosecutions against senior Afghan government figures.
Fazel Ahmed Faqiryar, the former deputy attorney general, said investigations of more than two dozen senior Afghan officials — including cabinet ministers, ambassadors and provincial governors — were being held up or blocked outright by Mr. Karzai, Attorney General Mohammed Ishaq Aloko and others.
Mr. Faqiryar’s account of the troubles plaguing the anticorruption investigations, which Mr. Karzai’s office disputed, has been largely corroborated in interviews with five Western officials familiar with the cases. They say Mr. Karzai and others in his government have repeatedly thwarted prosecutions against senior Afghan government figures.
An American official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said that Afghan prosecutors had prepared several cases against officials suspected of corruption, but that Mr. Karzai was “stalling and stalling and stalling.”
So, under American supervision (or shall we say tutelage?), the Afghan regime has become one off the most corrupt in the world.
WTF?
Article
- Sep 1, 2010 4:54 pm (#2177 of 2191)
I suppose we have to go with the guys we think are the best shot at providing 'stability', and in an imperfect world, etc.
If that is the rationale, the next question is whether stability has been achieved. It has not. Afghanistan is unstable and corrupt.
- Sep 1, 2010 5:20 pm (#2179 of 2191)
I hope you understand I was simply trying to characterize the realpolitik view of it, as far as I can tell.
I'm pretty sure they have looked for other people to lead the nation. Perhaps Karzai is the best they can do for now.
As you know, it takes a strongman to keep a fractious 'nation' together. And strongmen are often not nice guys...
- Sep 1, 2010 5:53 pm (#2180 of 2191)
Afghanistan is unstable and corrupt.
My heavens!!!
- Sep 1, 2010 5:58 pm (#2181 of 2191)
As long as the opium keeps flowing...
HHW6 - Sep 1, 2010 6:47 pm (#2182 of 2191)
I suspect that Afghanistan was 'unstable' and 'corrupt' prior to the arrival of the Soviets and Americans.
We may not agree with the Afghans as to what constitutes 'corruption'.
If Afghanistan is a tribal/clan/family society -- which it largely is - that society may not have the same ideas about the definition of corruption.
Was not Afghanistan 'stable' prior to the Soviet incursion? Does not 'revolution from above' create 'instability'?
Something to keep in mind: politically useful cuts both ways. The US considers Karzai politically useful. Did not, and does not, Karzai consider the US politically useful?
R. Tugboat - Sep 2, 2010 12:29 am (#2183 of 2191)
A lot of people in Washington are not happy with Karzai.
- Sep 2, 2010 12:33 am (#2184 of 2191)
I should think, if there is any job where you are guaranteed to piss off everybody in the world, it would be… President of Afghanistan!
- Sep 2, 2010 3:37 am (#2185 of 2191)
No, Karzai really took a sharp turn there.
According to the Monde Diplo, not (yet?) translated into English, the Taliban are funneling for their own use a great part of the aid and reconstruction money we are all sending via our taxes to Afghanistan through racketeering and corruption. Opium only accounts for a small part of their income.
http://www.monde-diplomatique.fr/2010/09/IMBERT/19634
Marc-A
- Sep 2, 2010 1:16 pm (#2187 of 2191)
Transparency International corruption perception index map for 2009 
I think that when it comes to a phenomenon like corruption, it's important to look at the greater picture. For instance, all the countries of that part of the world we are talking about are among the most corrupted in the world, regardless of the regime in place.
Interestingly, the Islamic Republic of Iran - infrequently visited by US troops and businessmen you will agree - is nevertheless just as corrupted as its neighbors Iraq and Afghanistan. Same picture with Uzbekistan and all the other _stans of Central Asia: a very high degree of corruption, whether they are pro-Russian or pro-American or pro-whatever.
Corruption is an entrenched cultural phenomenon and chances are that corruption would still be intense in Afghanistan had there been no American/NATO invasion.
Just another day in Afghanistan:
NATO air strike kills 10 civilians
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100902/ts_afp/afghanistanunrestnatocivilian_20100902155629
I am still looking for someone with experience in military strategy and tactics to explain me what are those aerial bombings supposed to achieve.
JayH - Sep 2, 2010 6:06 pm (#2189 of 2191)
Did you read the article at that link? It has much information.
Yes I did. Still do not understand why this keep happening.
Bombing a recognisable military target in a conventional war I can more or less understand, despite the numerous instances of mistakes. Not this.
HHW6 - Sep 2, 2010 9:17 pm (#2191 of 2191)
Stupidity.
Failure to properly indentify a target.
It does not appear to be something like aiming at an enemy and hitting civilians instead.
____Afghanistan