Abdullah: Afghan Government Cannot Fight Corruption
November 4th, 2009 . by TexasFredAbdullah: Afghan Government Cannot Fight Corruption
KABUL — The challenger in Afghanistan’s recent presidential election said Wednesday that President Hamid Karzai has come to power illegally and will not be able to rein in corruption or serve as a reliable partner in the fight against the Taliban.
Former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah spoke a day after five British soldiers were killed in a shooting in southern Helmand province. Afghan authorities said the attack was carried out by an Afghan policeman who opened fire on the British troops.
Abdullah said the Afghan government had squandered eight years of opportunity and the assistance of its Western allies by failing to stop corruption or create a government that responds to the needs of the Afghan people.
The Afghan election commission’s decision not to have a runoff election after a fraud-marred first round was not legal and has created a government that cannot be trusted to obey laws, Abdullah said.
Full Story Here:
Abdullah: Afghan Government Cannot Fight Corruption
So, lets talk about Afghan security and corruption, shall we?
Afghanistan is an Islamic nation, corruption runs rampant in Islamic nations. Warlords, money and power rule the roost and that’s not an opinion, it is a fact. Votes don’t particularly matter. POWER is all that matters, and POWER rules.
Hamid Karzai is nothing more than the most powerful figure at the moment. I have posted this before, Karzai was the most acceptable of the bunch to Pres. George W. Bush when the 1st Afghan elections took place. Karzai was the *chosen one*, so to speak.
Karzai was involved in helping to provide financial and military support for the Mujahideen during the 1980s Soviet war in Afghanistan. The Mujahideen were secretly supplied and funded by the United States, and Karzai was a contact for the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) at the time.
(SNIP)
When the Taliban emerged in the mid 1990s, Karzai, like many other Afghans, supported them, because he saw them as a force that could finally end the violence and corruption in his country. However, he later broke up with them and refused to serve as their ambassador to the United Nations, telling friends he felt the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) was wrongly using them. SOURCE
For those that may not know, the Mujahideen and the Taliban are, for all practical purposes, one in the same. New day, new name. Karzai didn’t like the hard core Taliban or it’s policies and he hooked up once again to U.S. support.
Here’s the fly in the ointment, Karzai really does run Kabul, but in all truth, has little power outside of that immediate area. No matter how good or honest Karzai may, or may NOT be, his power doesn’t extend past Kabul itself. The Taliban, on the other hand, has their evil tentacles into every part of the nation.
The Afghan army and police are infiltrated. The Taliban has members in the ranks, in the Officer Corps and quite likely in command positions if the truth were known. We ran into the same thing in Iraq. It’s an acceptable tactic in the Muslim playbook. Infiltrate, gain trust and then kill the infidel by any means at hand!
KABUL — The Taliban have said they were behind the killing of five British soldiers shot dead by an Afghan policeman they were training in Helmand province, Sky News reported.
A spokesman said the officer, who fled the scene and has yet to be found, was a member of their rebel organization, according to Sky News.
“It’s a new Taliban tactic,” he said. “We have more Taliban who have infiltrated into the police and army.”
Three soldiers from the Grenadier Guards and two from the Royal Military Police were fatally wounded during an attack following a patrol in the Nad-e’Ali district.
Six soldiers wounded in the incident are being treated at Camp Bastion, the Army’s main Afghan base.
Story Here:
Report: Taliban Says It’s Behind British Soldier Deaths
Can we trust Karzai to do ‘the right thing’? Is Abdullah correct in his assessment when he says Karzai came to power illegally and won’t be able to effectively battle the Taliban?
We have discussed the same things concerning Iraq and the government of Nouri al-Maliki. The SURGE in Iraq seems to have worked to some degree, there are fewer homicide bombings and attacks on military and police targets, but there have been continued attacks on civilian and religious targets.
Could a SURGE in Afghanistan bring about a similar result? Sure, any time you can kill insurgent fighters in greater numbers than can be resupplied, the opposition will be weakened and less inclined to engage in major battles. But regardless, we are still fighting a REBEL army, an army of religious fanatics that are not easily spotted and very hard to distinguish from the average man or woman. That’s what happens when you are engaging a guerrilla army.
There are NO easy solutions in Afghanistan. Barack Obama has some serious decisions facing him, and he needs to make those decisions soon. We either get fully involved and end this thing in a way that will be brutal, bloody decisive, or we get the hell OUT and let nature run it’s course.
Personally, and this is strictly ME speaking and not meant to be an analysis of Afghanistan, I am pretty much convinced that we blew it when we left the Afghan field of battle to go to Iraq in search of that will o’ the wisp, WMDs. I think we gave Afghanistan back to the Taliban as we were being bled to death in Iraq.
And quite frankly, what have we actually accomplished? al-Qaida is still fighting, the Taliban is still fighting and I see NO definitive results other than several thousand U.S. troops dead, many more than that wounded, many maimed for life, and we’re nearly bankrupt for our efforts.
So, some of the libs need to tell us now, that WAR FOR OIL thing they screamed about, how’s that working out for you? It wasn’t about OIL, it wasn’t really about Iraqi freedom, it was about the idea of getting even.
Are we EVEN yet?
To fight the Taliban and al-Qaida is to basically fight Islam. We’re fighting against a people that believe with all their heart, mind, and soul that their religious salvation to heaven is to kill as many of us as they can and if they die in the process, they will receive greater rewards in heaven. When you fight an enemy with those beliefs, how can you hope to defeat them without utter brutality? Thar’a all those people understand; anything less is a sign of weakness. That’s how the Taliban controlled them and that’s how Saddam controlled them.
I wonder? Rather than arm and train the Mujahideen, if we had allowed the Soviets to kick the snot out of them, would we be in this mess now? That question’s above my pay grade.
The ramifications of not helping the Mujahideen? Catastrophic…
The defeat of the Soviet Union by the Mujahideen and Charlie Wilson’s secret support led to the fall OF the Soviet Union.
Now, the tide has turned and it is US being bitch slapped by the Taliban, and I would not be at ALL surprised to find out that Russia is supplying them, directly or otherwise.
You are right Fred, Karzai has little influence outside of Kabul with the Taliban controlling the countryside. Sounds like the classic guerrilla war with the insurgents in control of the countryside and the government the cites—well at least one city. You make an interesting point about not helping th Mujahideen and letting the Soviets kick their butt, I doubt that would have happened but it is something to think about in hindsight. Then of course the old Soviet Union could still be around as you point out. The path ahead will not be easy and I have serious doubts about Americans supporting a protracted conflict and the enemy is aware of this and willing to fight on for as long as it takes to achieve their final victory. They will not stop until they march into Kabul. Just the way I see it. I honestly don’t see a good outcome in Afghanistan short of blowing the country off the map.
I listened to a great podcast of a Michael Medved show where he interviewed Robert Spencer’s new book, The Complete Infidel’s Guide to the Koran.
One caller to the show brought up the issue of translating the Koran to English. The caller said that his Muslim friend told him that the Arabic version uses the word “kill” where as the English translation uses the word “fight” in it’s place.
The author also said that where it says “Strive hard in the ways of Allah” it means to wage war.
So I agree that this is a war on Islam. There is violence in the Bible, but nowhere does it advocate the murder of non-believers.
Very good post Fred!
You said, “…corruption runs rampant in Islamic nations…”
Could not agree with you more…..makes me wonder if that’s the kind we have right now in our own White House….Islamic Corruption, that is…..since most believers in Islam are really Marxists in ideology anyway!
Again, good post!!
After we take This Great Country back, we need to run those murderous #$%$#$@#$@s out of Our Country! I’m tired of our current leaders and the MSM looking the other way on the multiple honor killings, demands to have Sharia Law, and the whole damn mess, these so-called peaceful asshats have brought with them to this Country. Enough, already!!!!
KEEP YOUR POWDER DRY!
I’m in with TxSonOfLiberty.
When do we start? I just bought a new night vision scope and am anxious to see how it works. Instead of running them out, I prefer shipping.
From the beginning, I have held that supporting our military by whatever means necessary is first and foremost. I agree with TF… it was about getting even. It is politicizing the idea that these people are even capable of desiring freedom when they treat the female of the species like chattel because “Allah sez it’s OK”. They are neanderthals with an extremist ideology. I get sick of career politicians of any ilk candy coating the rational for sending the “cream of American youth” to war with shitty weapons that aren’t designed for the job and playing politics with their lives like is happening now. I would love to have the opportunity to bitch slap Obama and the entire bunch on Capitol Hill for attaching bills no one wants (like the one making homosexuals a “special group” under our laws!!!) to bills that allocate funds for our troops!!! I think they (all who voted YAY) are all disgusting!!! I am sick of seeing the KIAs and casualties pile up while these people play extremist politics.
I’m with TxSonOfLiberty and Vigilante… sign me up!!!!
So what if the Afghan government is corrupt. It should be familiar to Barry O. The Chicago and Illinois governments are the gold standard in corruption.
FUBAR, Pull out now!
Hamid Karzia had a gas station in Orange County, California. I bought gas from him years back.
He had a great command of the English language.
BUT, he was still an arab,,,, and not to be trusted!!
Returning back to his native country was a plus for the USA, as far as I am concerned. One less arab here. Period.
Diplomacy???,, bullshit.
Will he be an ally for us, against the Al Quieda in this war??
WELL, what do you really think??
That country is worthless for anything,,,,except for periodic testing,,, of the effectiveness of MOAB bombs.