Society
Corruption Begins at Home
USA chides and punishes business houses,individuals, corporations for corruption, bribery and other similar practices but it is surprising to read that CIA has delivered bags of cash to the Afghanisation President Abdul Hamid Karzai during the last 11 years. Abdul Hamid Karzai has confirmed this in the press in Kabul recently.
No one can challenge CIA or so to say any Intelligence agency because their such efforts are classified and beyond audit. Lot of Officers, public dignataries, Ministers in India too have used cash, cars, phones, and dinners and much more which has been funded by secret service funds (SS money). But it dismays when a country like USA, which is quoted world over for dignity in public life, has been trying to corrupt the leaders and public in Afghanisation.
This effort appears to have gone waste because neither USA or Karzai has been able to keep away the Talibans, nor USA in particular has been able to win over the loyalty of the Afghans. While no one has been able to assess the amount of slush money delivered to the palace of Karzai, it is sure to run into millions of USD, which would create more Debt for the USA which already forms about 40% of the GDP. But much more than that is the loss of morality and credibility on the part of USA.
While confirming this at a press conference in Helsinki, Finland, Karzai expressed gratitude to USA and said that it was a small amount which was used for various purposes. But it is a fact that this "small amount" was used to pay supporters, family members like Ahmed Wali, brother of Karzai who was assassinated in 2011. But beyond this is a fact that most of the bags were sent out to safe countries where Karzai has secret accounts as borne out by the Press reports in the past. Karzai also recevied such charity slush money from Iran for a long time before he signed a strategic partnership deal with United states last year.
In spite of CIA's charity, neither Karzai would be safe in Afghanisation after Taliban take over the reins of power after USA /NATO forces withdrawl in 2014 nor he would be loyal to USA. And whatever development USA has done in Afghanisation would have gone to nought after their withdrawl.
It is strange that why developed countries like USA spend money in other countries from where the response is expected to be poor or marginal. Afghanistan does not look to be developed nor its people hope to lead a better life inspite of CIA's charity and funds from USAID running into billions. Charity sometimes leads to disempowerment and dependency as Mukesh Ambani, Chairman RIL expressed somewhere. Other than that it leads to corruption.
01-May-2013
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Suresh Mandan
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