Karzai Wants to End Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRT)

Karzai has called for the dismantling of the Provincial Reconstruction Teams (PRTs) that are scattered around Afghanistan at the province and district level.  The PRTs are organized to help provide medical care, development projects and dispense international aid (money) throughout the country - complementing and working with local Afghan government officials at the province and district level.  In many areas, the PRTs are the only sign that the Afghan government has any presence at all.  Karzai says the PRTs are a dual mechanism competing with the Afghan governmental structure.  Most observers are critical of Karzai's stance on PRTs and say he just wants to get the aid money to flow through Afghan government institutions in order to provide more opportunity for corruption and to gain more political clout throughout the country. This observer says keep the PRTs and keep the money out of the hands of Karzai's corrupt cronies.  This is one of the few things we are doing right in the country.  Read more about Karzai's criticism of the PRTs in "Karzai Seeks End to NATO Reconstruction Teams", The New York Times, February 6, 2011.