Mister Moobs Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 If this guy was any more correct, my head would explode. I have been witness to this and more. Talking to Afghanistan experts in Kabul, Washington and Berlin, a picture is emerging: The Karzai government has a lot in common with a Mafia family. Where a ?normal? government raises revenues from the people ? in the form of taxes ? and then disperses them to its local and regional institutions in the form of budgetary allocations or patronage, this Afghan government operates in the reverse. The money flows upward from the countryside in the form of payments for offices purchased or ?gifts? from cronies.What flows from Kabul, the experts say, is permission for unfettered extraction, protection in case of prosecution and punishment in case the official opposes the system or gets out of line. In ?Karzai World,? it appears, slots are either sold (to people who buy them in order to make a profit) or granted to cronies, or are given away to buy off rivals. We have to be very careful that we are not seen as the enforcers for this system. While visiting Afghanistan last July, I met a key provincial governor who every U.S. official told me was the best and most honest in Afghanistan ? and then, they added, ?We have to fight Karzai every day to keep him from being fired.? That is what happens to those who buck the Karzai system. This is crazy. We have been way too polite, and too worried about looking like a colonial power, in dealing with Karzai. I would not add a single soldier there before this guy, if he does win the presidency, takes visible steps to clean up his government in ways that would be respected by the Afghan people. If Karzai says no, then there is only one answer: ?You?re on your own, pal. Have a nice life with the Taliban. We can?t and will not put more American blood and treasure behind a government that behaves like a Mafia family. If you don?t think we will leave ? watch this.? (Cue the helicopters.) So, please, spare me the lectures about how important Afghanistan and Pakistan are today. I get the stakes. But we can?t want a more decent Afghanistan than the country?s own president. If we do, we have no real local partner who will be able to hold the allegiance of the people, and we will not succeed ? whether with more troops, more drones or more money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeusbheld Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 sort of implies there's some substance to the Karzai election scandal (vote early, vote often). that's me disillusioned.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigEars Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 sort of implies there's some substance to the Karzai election scandal (vote early, vote often). that's me disillusioned.... There's nothing wrong with a scandalous or unfair election if the right guy wins. Democracy, after all, implies that the voters are educated enough to make an informed decision and, unfortunately, that's it's most overwhelming flaw. Still, at least he has a nice hat, and a bit of a European look about him, which BBC viewers can relate to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbes Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 Looks like for once we can actually agree on something...scary as that might be. :? :shock: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigEars Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 Politics is merely a way for those who aspire to stardom, but can't sing, act or play football, to achieve it. Wayne Rooney, if you'd but look, is a Stalin in the making, just as Kazai, Netanyahu, Zarchozy and Brown are the budding forward four. Obama? Talented sub with fancy footwork, but Republicans own the club. They don't mind any tactic, just so long as the club makes a profit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeusbheld Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 sort of implies there's some substance to the Karzai election scandal (vote early, vote often). that's me disillusioned.... There's nothing wrong with a scandalous or unfair election if the right guy wins. errr... really???!? Democracy, after all, implies that the voters are educated enough to make an informed decision and, unfortunately, that's it's most overwhelming flaw. whereas cheating implies graft, corruption and cynicism. which, after looking at stuff posted by 9/11 'truthers' i suppose i can buy, because stupidity is limitless, but you can only steal so much. Still, at least he has a nice hat, and a bit of a European look about him, which BBC viewers can relate to. he does have a nice hat. i'd vote for him for the nice hat alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Moobs Posted October 23, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 I don't really like his hat. I like the Pakol--the hat worn by Ahmad Shah Massoud. Aside from being ugly, the Karzai hat is made from wool from sheep that are taken from an unborn lamb. Kinda gross if you think about it. They gut Momma. Yank out the kid and make a hat out of it. :shock: Nah, not a big fan of that one. :idea: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stramash Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 personally I find the high peaked Soviet hats of the Stalin era are a vote winner every time, though if Gordon Brown wore a pink spangly cowboy hat, it may detract from his dour Presbyterian personality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeusbheld Posted October 24, 2009 Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 personally I find the high peaked Soviet hats of the Stalin era are a vote winner every time, though if Gordon Brown wore a pink spangly cowboy hat, it may detract from his dour Presbyterian personality. i'd vote for whoever wears a pink spangly cowboy hat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeusbheld Posted October 24, 2009 Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 I don't really like his hat.I like the Pakol--the hat worn by Ahmad Shah Massoud. Aside from being ugly, the Karzai hat is made from wool from sheep that are taken from an unborn lamb. Kinda gross if you think about it. They gut Momma. Yank out the kid and make a hat out of it. :shock: Nah, not a big fan of that one. :idea: yeh the Pakol is cooler looking, sort of thing hipsters can wear around town. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mister Moobs Posted October 24, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2009 Karzai's hat reminds me of a woolly old style Army ***** cap... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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