Corruption in Afghanistan | Let's Take a New Approach!

For several months the United States and its coalition partners had used a full-court press against the Karzai regime in an attempt to limit corruption.  In a counterinsurgency fight one of the goals is to establish the legitimacy of the central government. This is not likely given the high level of corruption from the very top of the government down to the local level.  Billions of dollars have flowed into Afghanistan but the common people have not seen much of it - and they are taking note of that fact.   Reports of millions of dollars leaving Kabul and Kandahar airports for destinations in the Middle East and Europe to pad Karzia family and friend's bank accounts are in abundance. The corrupt central government in Kabul and at the district level is cited by many as a recruiting tool of the Taliban.  Commissions and investigative organizations were set up with international assistance to provide expertise and equipment to conduct investigations of wrongdoing - but interference at the highest level (Karzai) has limited their effectiveness.  It would seem that Karzai has called the west's bluff.  Now a "softer approach" is being taken by the U.S. 

Perhaps it is time we took control of the disbursement of our money and funneled it to the provincial and district level ourselves.  This would certainly weaken the central government but who cares?  The central government under Karzai has proven itself ineffective, corrupt, and unpopular.  We should start working with officials at the provincial and district level and "buy" their cooperation.  I bet we see Karzai come around then!

Read more in the articles below:

"White House mulls: Just how much Afghan corruption is too much?", Afghanistan Crossroads, CNN World, September 16, 2010.

"Rotten at the Core", Slate Magazine, September 15, 2010.

"Karzai rift prompts U.S. to reevalute anti-corruption strategy in Afghanistan", The Washington Post, September 13, 2010.