Congressman calls meeting with Karzai disturbing

[maddezmom]

Source: AP

Congressman calls meeting with Karzai disturbing
The Associated Press

Tuesday, Aug. 31, 2010 | 12:10 a.m.

A Democratic congressman, just back from Afghanistan, criticized Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Monday for failing to stem corruption infesting his country's government.

Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., also said Karzai must do more to ensure that Afghanistan does not become a haven for al-Qaida as the United States prepares to begin withdrawing troops from Afghanistan next July.

Larsen, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, was one of four U.S. congressmen who met with Karzai last week in Kabul. Larsen told The Associated Press on Monday that he entered the meeting frustrated at the lack of progress in Afghanistan and left the hourlong session "disturbed."

Larsen said he was especially annoyed that Karzai appeared to blame everyone but himself for his country's problems.

"Nothing is Hamid Karzai's fault," he said in summing up Karzai's view.


Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iqyaFh_efr-brDq0rMLF1hkop0tgD9HU2D8G0

[RandomThoughts]

1. Hey that is my view on things also.

I wonder if it is true for him?

Although I spent 2 years making sure the issue that has to be corrected was not my fault. And everything past that point has no relevance on that issue until that issue is corrected.

[yurbud]

2. what is the definition of ''corruption'' we're applying there?

when Afghan officials make their own deals instead of kowtowing to our business interests?

[iandhr]

5. I am sorry

Transparency international rates Afghanistan as the 2nd most corrupt country on the planet.

Anti-corruption investigators have been fired by Karzai.


Karzai personally intervened when a top aide was arrested.

[yurbud]

10. how do we rate?

[Codeine]

12. 17th least corrupt.

http://blogcritics.org/politics/article/usa-named-seventeenth-least-corrupt-nation/

[Javaman]

3. Al Capone never blamed himself. nt

[bemildred]

4. Congress calling anybody else corrupt is very funny.

:rofl:

[ixion]

7. Yep, coming from one of the most corrupt institutions on the planet

it's not saying much.

[ixion]

6. In all fairness to Karzai, he IS a puppet, installed by Bush

and controlled by the puppet masters in the background.

So he is correct that the problems are not necessarily his fault, in a way.

[alfredo]

8. Sounds like we are building a case for the 2011 withdrawal.

[SKKY]

13. Ding! Ding! Ding!

And we have a winner!

[alfredo]

14. A bit of political cover.

[tridim]

9. "Nothing is Hamid Karzai's fault"

Bush knows all about that.

[eridani]

11. So, what would have been the problem with allowing the people of Afghanistan their own choice

--in the loya jirga meeting of 2002? If you don't know, they wanted the former king on the grounds that he had the fewest number of people pissed off at him. Too bad--he's dead now.