Hamid Karzai Admits to Taking Bribes from Iran
The political circles in Washington have been abuzz the past few days over news that President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan has been accepting money from Iran’s government. Well, this just in: he did. And we didn’t learn this from inside sources or powerful NATO officials who never seem to have the courage to give out their names.
Karzai admitted it himself.
The New York Times, which first reported the story, quoted President Karzai saying this week that “once or twice a year Iran gives his office $700,000 to $975,000 for official presidential expenses.” The Associated Press adds:
Karzai told reporters Monday that he had instructed [Umar] Daudzai, a former Afghan ambassador to Iran, to accept the money from Tehran. “It is official and by my order,” Karzai said.
Karzai added that he gets “bags of cash” from Washington as well and that the money is badly needed in the country. But hold on a second. If you’re taking money from the U.S., shouldn’t you not be taking money from Iran because um … Iran is the U.S.’s sworn enemy? Apparently, Karzai doesn’t have the smarts to figure that one out.
At least the Iranian embassy in Kabul had people with enough brains to quickly refute the president’s claims, but it’s a little too late. The question now isn’t whether he is accepting bribes from the Iranian government in return for favors. The question is, why is America putting up with this man?
I understand their reluctance to pull out their support from under his feet when he’s bribing everyone to keep himself in power. I also understand it when they put up with his tantrums as his personal antics nearly jeopardize the entire U.S. mission and the international fight against terrorism. But the folks in the White House must be kidding.
I was outraged enough when I heard the allegations of Karzai accepting money from Iran. I would have been further outraged if Iran had confirmed those allegations. But I’m unable to express myself about a man who doesn’t understand that accepting these charges of bribery and then attempting to legitimize them is absolutely inane.
Karzai reminds me of all the corrupt leaders we supported in South Vietnam. And we all know how well that turned out.
You’d be surprised how much he resembles that guy.
What is the reputation of the doctor who was the leading contender against Karzai in the Presidential election last year? I don’t recall his name but, at least on the face of it, he appeared to be a potentially credible candidate for the Presidency. He pointed out substantial corruption in the electoral process and then declined to participate in the runoff election when it became apparent that the election was rigged.
I’d like to know more about him, especially if he appears likely to be a candidate for the presidency at the next election.
Dr. Abdullah.
He was and remains a viable alternative to Karzai. If the guy in the White House could only think…
What’s the difference between the Vietnam War and Afghanistan?
40 years…..
The difference is that Vietnam wasn’t going to become a hideout for folks who’re dying to destroy America and her allies.
Really?
Should this be soooooooooo surprising?
That’s the moslem way after all!
Haven’t we been warning this for what 9 years now?
Afghanistan is not the only one of course, the fascists are growing their influence in Iraq, Lebanon, Turkey and then from there the other continents. Who is going to stop them? They even promised that by 2050 Europe will be a moslem continent ruled by Islamic laws.
Now all PC dumbos keep drinking your cool aid and smoke your weed!!!
i can`t believe the way the US government is wasting the tax payers money like this, i mean these guys spend so much money in these wars in such tribe economy to “suppository“ fight enemies of freedom and to bring democracy to these countries and they don`t have any clear exit strategies and people they put in power both in Iraq and Afghanistan are more friends with Iran then America! i can see in one hand they don`t want to appear that they are in control of Iraqis and Afghans lives by removing these guys from power, but something need to be done to stop this, otherwise we will be in a worst place then we started, i hope that president Obama think about doing the right thing and not the next election, there is nothing wrong with one term presidency in my opinion! as long as he does one term right!
Comment on 1-term presidency, pricelesss!
The West shoul stop thinking that there is no alternative to Karzai. Sure, there is – that’s Dr Abdulah Abdullah.
We need more talk like that.
Failure to enforce OUR Freedoms in those lands where we supposedly DEFEND our freedom is how things like this happen. Is their Islamic Constitution in accord with our First Amendment? We die for that. Are the people allowed to defend themselves from the Taliban quartering soldiers in their villages? We die for not allowing them our Second Amendment. Are their leaders sweating the next election in two years? We encourage corruption by not requiring Article 1, section 2 of the Constitution where the tax man faces the people EVERY two years. We kill their patience by allowing it and they kill us, too. School girls suffer because our ‘real politik’ leaders don’t really believe that ignorant Afganis could be trusted wtih true American freedom. Our elites are starting to sound the same way about Tea Party activists. What can go right with that kind of attitude?