More Corruption in Afghanistan

I know I talk about this a lot, but only because it matters so much.

For those who follow the details of US friction with President Karzai, one interesting feature has been his resistance to the large-scale anti-insurgency campaign (as opposed to simply providing security on the ground) and he has particularly resisted the upcoming offensive into Kandahar Province. That seems odd until you understand that his half-brother, Ahmad Wali Karzai, is head of Kandahar’s provincial council and is reported to run the province like a money-making enterprise, amassing a fortune from the drug trade, protection rackets, and bribes.

Here is a link to a story on what’s becoming known as “Karzai, Inc.”

Here is another story on how Afghan private security firms are managing to combine all the virtues of local corruption with the impunity of non-governmental contract cowboys. You may remember what I wrote a few days ago about the inevitable result of flooding an unbelievably poor country with billions of dollars in cash.

About the Author: The major landmarks in Frank's historical interests range from ancient Persia through the Crimean War, World War II, and the modern U.S. Armed Forces, with a lot of stops in between. Frank is fascinated by the unusual, the overlooked, and the surprising. He is the New York Times number one best-selling author of the Desert Shield Fact Book (1991) and he is currently writing an historical novel on Alexander's conquest of Persia – from the Persian point of view.

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