Congress Tires of Lining Karzai’s Pockets

Posted on Jul 1, 2010

U.S. Army / Staff Sgt. Susan Wilt

Afghan President Hamid Karzai shakes hands with U.S. airmen at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan.

The House has decided not to approve some $4 billion in aid to Afghanistan after The Wall Street Journal reported that the country’s notoriously corrupt government has secretly flown billions of dollars in U.S. aid and drug money to “safe havens abroad.”

Rep. Nita Lowey, chairwoman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs, said, “I do not intend to appropriate one more dime for assistance to Afghanistan until I have confidence that US taxpayer money is not being abused to line the pockets of corrupt Afghan government officials, drug lords and terrorists.”  —PZS

BBC:

The money could be reinstated in a few months after a review of Kabul’s efforts to tackle the issue.

Republican lawmaker Mark Kirk, however, expressed concern that the slashing of funds could put important projects at risk and would not help the war effort.

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