Afghan President Karzai Wants More CIA Money

The Afghan leader Hamid Karzai told reporters Saturday that money delivered by the C.I.A. was “an easy source of petty cash.” Mohammad Ismail/Reuters

Karzai Says He Was Assured C.I.A. Would Continue Delivering Bags of Cash -- New York Times

KABUL, Afghanistan — The C.I.A.’s station chief here met with President Hamid Karzai on Saturday, and the Afghan leader said he had been assured the agency would continue dropping off stacks of cash at his office despite a storm of criticism that has erupted since the payments were disclosed.

The C.I.A. money, Mr. Karzai told reporters, was “an easy source of petty cash,” and he suggested that some of it was used to pay off warlords and power brokers.

The use of the C.I.A. cash to pay those people has prompted criticism from many Afghans and some American and European officials who complain that the agency, in its quest to maintain access and influence at the presidential palace, financed what is essentially a presidential slush fund. The practice, the officials say, effectively undercut a pillar of the American war strategy: the building of a clean and credible Afghan government.

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More News On Afghan President Karzai Receiving More CIA Money

Karzai denies CIA cash bought support of Afghan warlords, asks US to continue payments -- RT
Afghan president hopes CIA payments will continue -- Stars and Stripes/AP
CIA millions buy little from Karzai -- Tampa Bay Times editorial
Feeding the hand that bites -- Fred Kaplan, Gulf Times
The Afghan Bag Man -- Sarah Chayes, Foreign Policy

Afghan President Hamid Karzai Has Acknowledged That His Office Received Money From The CIA

Barack Obama pictured with President Karzai. it has been revealed that tens of millions of dollars has been given to Afghan officials by C.I.A. Reuters

Karzai Confirms Receiving CIA Cash -- Wall Street Journal

Afghan President Hamid Karzai Monday acknowledged that his office has been receiving money from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency over the past 10 years, dismissing the monthly cash payments as a "small amount."

Mr. Karzai addressed the issue after the New York Times reported on Sunday that the CIA has made tens of millions of dollars in secret payments, often cash packed in shopping bags, as it sought to maintain influence over Afghanistan's mercurial leader.

"Yes, the office of the national security has been receiving support from the United States for the past 10 years," Mr. Karzai told reporters at a news briefing in Helsinki, Finland, responding to a question whether he has received CIA cash. "Monthly. Not a big amount. A small amount which has been used for various purposes."

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More News On Afghan President Hamid Karzai Acknowledging That His Office Has Received Money From The CIA

Afghan confirms the US has made payments to his national security team for a decade -- Washington Post/AP
Hamid Karzai confirms CIA payments to Afghan government -- The Telegraph
With Bags of Cash, C.I.A. Seeks Influence in Afghanistan -- New York Times
CIA gave tens of millions of dollars to Afghan president in suitcases and sacks ‘for access to Karzai’s inner circle’ -- Daily Mail
Millions in CIA 'ghost money' paid to Afghan president's office: New York Times -- Chicago Tribune/Reuters
CIA gave millions in cash to Karzai -- The Australian
Afghan president confirms receiving CIA cash -- Global Post/AFP
CIA-funded corruption: Top Afghan officials on secret US payroll – report -- RT
The CIA Gave Karzai Bags Full of Cash for Over a Decade -- The Atlantic
CIA 'ghost money': Millions in bribe money paid by U.S. to Afghanistan leaders -- Examiner
Report: CIA cash to Afghans hasn't always gained desired results -- UPI
How the CIA’s Bags of Cash Undermined the Afghanistan War -- Spencer Ackerman, Danger Room

Pushback Against Afghan President Karzai

Afghan President Hamid Karzai speaks during a joint press conference with NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen at the presidential palace in Kabul on March 4, 2013. Press TV

Karzai's Accusations Spark Afghan Pushback -- Wall Street Journal

KABUL—Afghan politicians pushed back against President Hamid Karzai's accusations of U.S. collusion with the Taliban, saying that such rhetoric is irresponsible and could endanger critical Western support.

Twenty Afghan political parties and two coalitions, reflecting much of the country's political spectrum outside the insurgency, said in a joint statement on Wednesday that Mr. Karzai's allegations "do not represent the views of the people of Afghanistan toward their international friends."

"The president's remarks are part of a series of deliberate actions that push Afghanistan toward disaster," the parties said. "Creating such provocations against the international community is an escape from national responsibilities, and a failed attempt to divert public opinion from genuine issues."

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My Comment: These Afghan politicians know what is at stake .... but their opposition to Karzai is too little and too late. Here is a brief but poignant commentary on how the situation in Afghanistan has gotten from bad to worse. As to what is my take .... we better speed-up our departure date.

What Is Afghan President Karzai's Long Term Strategy?

Karzai Bets On Vilifying U.S. To Shed His Image As A Lackey -- Alissa J. Rubin, New York Times

KABUL, Afghanistan — The longest shadow in Afghan politics is cast by a traffic post that used to stand in Ariana Square outside the presidential palace: the Taliban hanged Najibullah, the last president of the Communist government, from it shortly after they marched into Kabul in 1996.

That history, and the reality that every modern Afghan leader has been ousted or executed, has surely not escaped President Hamid Karzai as he faces what is expected to be his final year in office, and with the American military pullout well under way.

Seeking a nobler ending than his predecessors after his long tenure in the palace, Mr. Karzai is taking a gamble: intensifying his vilification of his American allies at a critical moment in their Afghan endgame, risking their support for him in order to save himself politically.

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My Comment: With friends like this .... who needs enemies.

Karzai Blames NATO And The U.S. For Afghanistan's Insecurity

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

 EXCLUSIVE: US, NATO Behind 'Insecurity' In Afghanistan, Karzai Says -- NBC 

Updated at 9:43 a.m. ET: KABUL, Afghanistan - Afghan President Hamid Karzai sharply criticized the United States in an exclusive interview with NBC News on Thursday, blaming American and NATO forces for some of the growing insecurity in his country. "Part of the insecurity is coming to us from the structures that NATO and America created in Afghanistan," Karzai said during a one-on-one interview at the presidential palace. However, he also acknowledged that much of the country's violence was caused by insurgent groups.

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More News On Afghan President Karzai Blaming NATO And The U.S. For Afghanistan's Insecurity

Karzai: U.S., NATO share in insecurity -- UPI
Karzai blames NATO, U.S., for violence in Afghanistan -- Yahoo News
Afghan Leader Sharply Criticizes U.S., NATO For Insecurity -- Radio Free Europe
US, NATO behind 'insecurity' in Afghanistan: Karzai -- The Nation
Karzai slams US, NATO for insecurity in Afghanistan -- Frontier Post
Hamid Karzai: Some Afghanistan Insecurity 'Coming To Us From The Structures That NATO And America Created' (VIDEO) -- Huffington Post

Afghan President Karzai Blames NATO For Yesterday's Taliban Attack

Hamid Karzai Blames Nato Intelligence Failures For Afghanistan Attacks -- The Telegraph

Hamid Karzai has blamed intelligence failures by Nato for the biggest attack on the Afghan capital in a decade.

The Afghan president praised his own forces after they killed the final resisting members of insurgent suicide teams, but ordered an investigation into how the militants had been able to penetrate the city.

He spoke as Afghan intelligence officials said the string of coordinated assaults across eastern Afghanistan was carried out by the Taliban-linked Haqqani Network.

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More News On Afghan President Karzai Blaming NATO For Yesterday's Taliban Attack

Karzai blames NATO and Afghan officials for allowing Kabul attacks -- Christian Science Monitor
Afghan leader Karzai blames attacks on Nato 'failure' -- BBC
Kabul attacks show Nato intelligence failure says Hamid Karzai -- The Telegraph
Taliban’s attack on Kabul shows ‘failure’ of NATO: Afghanistan’s Hamid Karzai -- National Post/Reuters
Karzai Sees Intelligence ‘Failure’ in Taliban Attacks -- Voice of America
Karzai faults Afghan intelligence -- and NATO -- in attacks -- L.A. Times

Afghan President Karzai: The Americans In Afghanistan Are “Demons.”

Gulf Widens Between U.S. And A More Volatile Karzai -- New York Times

KABUL, Afghanistan — The Americans in Afghanistan are “demons.”

They claim they burned Korans by mistake, but really those were “Satanic acts that will never be forgiven by apologies.”

The massacre of 16 Afghan children, women and men by an American soldier “was not the first incident, indeed it was the 100th, the 200th and 500th incident.”

Such harsh talk may sound as if it comes from the Taliban, but those are all remarks either made personally by the United States’ increasingly hostile ally here, President Hamid Karzai, or issued by his office in recent days and weeks.

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My Comment: What's my take .... ignoring Karzai's rhetoric .... Spiegel Online sums up what many are now thinking.

Karzai Is Fed Up With The U.S. Mission In Afghanistan

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta meets with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 15, 2012. DOD photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley

Why Karzai Is Fed Up With The U.S. Mission In Afghanistan -- Washington Post

For a decade, American troops have fought and died defending Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s government. On Thursday, with the U.S. defense secretary looking on from Kabul, Karzai demanded that those troops stop fighting for him.

“Afghanistan is ready right now,” Karzai said in a statement, “to take all security responsibilities completely.”

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My Comment: The article is focused on the wrong person(s). The real focus should be on the American people and their loss of patience with people like Karzai and the country that he rules. While Afghan President Karzai may feel confident that his military can now confront the Taliban .... I say lets put it test, and speed up our withdrawal from that god forsaken country.

Afghan President Karzai Backs-Off From His Remarks That He Would Support Pakistan In A Hypothetical War Against The U.S.

Afghan Leader's Office Says Pakistan Remarks Misinterpreted -- L.A. Times

President Hamid Karzai's office says his comments to Pakistani TV that Afghanistan would side with Pakistan in a hypothetical war against the U.S. was not intended as a slight to Western governments.

Reporting from Kabul, Afghanistan — Parsing statements by President Hamid Karzai has become something of a parlor game in the Afghan capital.

The Afghan leader's office sought Monday to distance him from his controversial remarks in a weekend television interview, in which he asserted that Afghanistan would side with Pakistan in a hypothetical war against the United States.

The presidential palace said Karzai's comments to Pakistan's Geo TV, aired Saturday, had been misinterpreted.

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Update: Karzai backtracks on controversial Pakistan remarks -- AFP

My Comment: I am not surprised that he is backtracking from these outrageous remarks .... any fool would know that these remarks are incredibly damaging and stupid. . Sighhhh .... and he is our ally? What an unbelievable tool .... he and his cronies should focus on what they are good at which is this.

Afghan President Karzai's Brother, Ahmad Wali Karzai Assassinated

Afghan President's Brother, Ahmad Wali Karzai, Killed -- BBC

The half-brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been assassinated in Kandahar, officials say.

Ahmad Wali Karzai, a leading power broker in the country's south, was shot dead at his home in a blow to Nato's battle against the Taliban in the area.

He was shot twice by his long-time head of security Sardar Mohammed, who was himself killed almost immediately.

The Taliban said they carried out the attack, calling it one of their top achievements in 10 years of war.

Sardar Mohammed's motives remain unclear, but the killing will raise questions about securing Afghanistan's top officials.

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More News On The Assassination Of Afghan President Karzai's Brother, Ahmad Wali Karzai

Afghan president's half brother killed in south -- Yahoo News/AP
Influential brother of Afghan president killed at home -- Yahoo News/Reuters
Afghan president's brother assassinated -- Yahoo News/AFP
Half-Brother of Afghan President Karzai Assassinated -- Voice of America
Afghan President's Half-Brother Assassinated -- NPR
Karzai’s brother killed by guard in Kandahar home -- Washington Post
Ahmed Wali Karzai was shot and killed, according to a provincial spokesman -- L.A. Times
Afghan president's powerful half-brother killed -- CBS/AP
Afghan president's powerful brother assassinated in his Kandahar home -- Global Post
Karzai's brother killed, Taliban claims responsibility -- Xinhuanet
Ahmed Wali Karzai Assassinated -- The Atlantic
Brother of Afghan President Karzai killed by bodyguard -- Globe and Mail
Ahmad Wali Karzai's assassination leaves a big headache for Nato -- The Telegraph
Ahmad Wali Karzai assassination 'huge propaganda boost for Taliban' -- The Telegraph
Ahmed Wali Karzai: profile -- The Telegraph

Corruption In Afghanistan Reaches The Top

Mahmoud Karzai Photo: Duncan Chard

Hamid Karzai's Brother In US Corruption Probe -- The Telegraph

The brother of the Afghan President Hamid Karzai is under investigation by US prosecutors as part of a corruption probe that could complicate Washington's dealings with Kabul.

Mahmoud Karzai, Mr Karzai's eldest brother who is a US citizen, has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that his estimated $12 million (£7.5 million) results from legitimate business activities.

Mr Karzai is suspected of tax evasion, racketeering and extortion. However, he said that his sole interest was in "rebuilding Afghanistan" and the investigation would establish that. "How many people do you think they have on me? Four, five, 10, 20? They won't find anything. I'm just a businessman."

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More News On Mahmoud Karzai

US Attorney’s Office Investigating Karzai’s Brother -- Wall Street Journal
Karzai Brother Being Investigated For Corruption -- NPR
US probing Karzai brother: report -- AFP
Report: U.S. Probing Karzai's Brother -- CBS News
Report: U.S. prosecutor investigates Karzai's brother -- L.A. Times
Afghan President Karzai's Brother Targeted In U.S. Investigation -- Radio Free Europe

My Comment: We scratch our heads and wonder why we cannot win the hearts and minds of ordinary Afghans .... sighhh .... and you just know that nothing is going to come out of this investigation.

Afghan President Karzai Does Not Believe That The U.S. And Nato Can Defeat The Taliban

MOUNTAIN PATROL - U.S. Army soldiers patrol the mountainous terrain outside Forward Operating Base Baylough in Zabul province, Afghanistan, June 7, 2010. The soldiers are assigned to Company D, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment, U.S. Army Europe. U.S. Army photo by Spc. Eric Cabral

Afghan President 'Has Lost Faith In US Ability To Defeat Taliban' -- The Guardian

Afghanistan's Former Head Of Intelligence Says President Hamid Karzai Is Increasingly Looking To Pakistan To End Insurgency.

President Hamid Karzai has lost faith in the US strategy in Afghanistan and is increasingly looking to Pakistan to end the insurgency, according to those close to Afghanistan's former head of intelligence services.

Amrullah Saleh, who resigned last weekend, believes the president lost confidence some time ago in the ability of Nato forces to defeat the Taliban.

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My Comment: For once, I have to agree with President Karzai .... the U.S. and their NATO allies are not going to defeat the Taliban. Unfortunately, President Karzai's corrupt and dysfunctional government is one of the main reasons why the Taliban are growing stronger .... and Pakistan .... unless they get involved with their military in the Pashtun areas of Afghanistan .... will unlikely be a factor in stopping the Taliban advance.

What Should The U.S. Do With Afghan President Hamid Karzai?

President Obama with his Afghan counterpart, Hamid Karzai, in Kabul last week. The purpose of the US leader's visit was to take Mr Karzai to task but it is now seen as a hamfisted piece of diplomacy.

White House Looks To Freeze Out Hamid Karzai, A Partner It Cannot Abandon -- Times Online

The White House is exploring ways of isolating Hamid Karzai by channelling aid and military support directly to Afghan provinces, amid concerns about the Afghan President’s erratic behaviour and performance.

The continuing policy struggle in Washington on how to work with Mr Karzai, who threatens Mr Obama’s entire Afghan strategy, is all the more problematic, officials say, because they know that they are stuck with him.

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My Comment: If the leader of Afghanistan is this unreliable, U.S. hopes to leave Afghanistan in 2-3 years is now just a pipe-dream.

Political Disaster In Afghanistan?

U.S. To Afghan Leader: Watch What You Say -- ABC News

State Department Calls Karzai's Suggestion that he Might Join the Taliban a 'Head-Scratcher'

The rhetorical divide between the United States and Afghan President Hamid Karzai showed no signs of abating today: Karzai has spoken out against the U.S. and NATO presence in his country twice in the past week and now the United States is suggesting he watch what he say.

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More News On The Crisis In U.S. - Afghan Relations

Lawmakers: Afghan leader threatens to join Taliban -- Breitbart/AP
U.S. faces domestic fallout from Karzai outburst -- Reuters
Gibbs: White House is 'frustrated' by Karzai remarks -- CNN
Karzai Remarks Ratchet Up Tensions With Washington -- Radio Free Europe
Karzai 'threatened to join Taliban' -- Press Association
Afghanistan president's remarks again stir unease -- L.A. Times
Lawmakers Say Karzai Threatened to Join Taliban -- Voice of America
AP Analysis: Karzai remarks risk US-Afghan rift -- AP
President Obama needs to rethink the chill in Afghan relations -- Washington Post editorial

My Comment: When your #1 political ally in Afghanistan is threatening to join the Taliban .... disaster does not even come close to what we are now facing in the Afghan war.