Millions in CIA "ghost money" paid to Afghan president's office: New York Times

(Reuters) - Tens of millions of U.S. dollars in cash were delivered by the CIA in suitcases, backpacks and plastic shopping bags to the office of Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai for more than a decade, according to the New York Times, citing current and former advisers to the Afghan leader.

The so-called "ghost money" was meant to buy influence for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) but instead fuelled corruption and empowered warlords, undermining Washington's exit strategy from Afghanistan, the newspaper quoted U.S. officials as saying.

"The biggest source of corruption in Afghanistan", one American official said, "was the United States."

Handing out cash has been standard procedure for the CIA in Afghanistan since the start of the war.

Much of the money went to warlords and politicians, many with ties to the drug trade and in some cases the Taliban, the New York Times said. U.S. and Afghan officials were quoted as saying the CIA supported the same patronage networks that U.S. diplomats and law enforcement agents struggled to dismantle, leaving the government in the grip of organized crime.

source

Well, that made for an interesting read.

If this report is indeed true, then it makes me wonder what the point of this war is.
The original intent of the money, i.e - to buy influence has completely backfired and the money is ending up in the hands of warlords and drug smugglers... and the very people they are fighting - the Taliban.

Not only has the US failed to defeat the Taliban after 11 years of fighting, but they have ended up increasing corruption within the government they set up... the government that is expected to take over after the US exits.
This is a war that has failed on more than one front.

Well, considering that the Afghan government and the Taliban are both children of the same father,the CIA, that makes them brothers.

Whats causing the uproar is that the eldest son (the Taliban) doesnt like that fact that the youngest son (the Afghan puppet government) is squandering the family inheritance.

Buying influence is fine and dandy,in the short term, because once the cash flow stops...so does your influence.

Maybe this cash was just a down payment on this years and next years crop of heroin....

reply to post by sk0rpi0n


This is unsurprising...

Looking at history, the CIA seems incapable of winning wars of which they are heavily, or even predominantly involved in (Vietnam and Afghanistan for example)...Yeah, they are excellent for intelligence, but they should probably leave the fighting to the military and attempt not to buy loyalty or influence...it never pans out right. They should probably earn the respect and influence through other methods, whatever they may be.

Thanks for posting. S&F.

reply to post by andy1972

Whats causing the uproar is that the eldest son (the Taliban) doesnt like that fact that the youngest son (the Afghan puppet government) is squandering the family inheritance.

Buying influence is fine and dandy,in the short term, because once the cash flow stops...so does your influence.

One of the comments on yahoo had it spot on... you cant buy influence, you can only hire it.

And once the US exits, Karzais government and its fledgling army will have to take on the battle hardened Taliban, by themselves.

In fact, the Taliban are already winning the political war as they are actually preferred by the locals in many places. Despite their brutal methods, the locals prefer the Taliban way of justice over the government.. who they see as corrupt and useless. Hard for a government to last when the people prefer the 'opposition'.

So once the "younger son", as you put it... is left all alone, it wont be too long before the "older son" returns to take what he believes is his.

Originally posted by sk0rpi0n
In fact, the Taliban are already winning the political war as they are actually preferred by the locals in many places. Despite their brutal methods, the locals prefer the Taliban way of justice over the government.. who they see as corrupt and useless. Hard for a government to last when the people prefer the 'opposition'.

This is how it all stared in the first place, the CIA funded a coup which toppled the crooked and useless but legitimate Afghan government, leaving the Talibans (the then voice of the people) in power, which was done knowing that it would ultimately force Russia to invade.

It's just a little bit of history repeating itself..

It's the great game....nothing's changed.

Coalition forces will withdraw.

The Taliban will retake control.

The Taliban, in the end, will be found to be a government with which the US can do business, and will be recognised as legitimate, leaving a US friendly regime in charge, who they dont have to pay like the clown they have now, beacuse the they'll live of the heroin revenue.

Found the same report on presstv.ir

US spy agency bribes Afghans, including Taliban, to buy influence over nation

It adds, however, that there is “little evidence” that the American bribe payments have “bought the influence” that the CIA is after. Instead, the daily cites “some American officials” as saying, “the cash has fueled corruption and empowered warlords, undermining Washington’s exit strategy from Afghanistan.”

“Much of the CIA’s money goes to paying off warlords and politicians, many of whom have ties to the drug trade, and in some cases, the Taliban,” the daily insists, citing American and Afghan officials.

presstv

Originally posted by sk0rpi0n
Found the same report on presstv.ir

US spy agency bribes Afghans, including Taliban, to buy influence over nation

It adds, however, that there is “little evidence” that the American bribe payments have “bought the influence” that the CIA is after. Instead, the daily cites “some American officials” as saying, “the cash has fueled corruption and empowered warlords, undermining Washington’s exit strategy from Afghanistan.”

“Much of the CIA’s money goes to paying off warlords and politicians, many of whom have ties to the drug trade, and in some cases, the Taliban,” the daily insists, citing American and Afghan officials.

presstv

After the CIA funded Pablo Escobar and the Medellin cartel which led to the Nicaragua / Iran /contra fiasco and the Barry Seal and Mena Airport shenanigins that Bill Clinton ignored, the CIA probably had somes problems in procuring a new source of income for the time being.

Now they've stopped the Taliban destroying the worlds largest opium crops. which they were doing, and they have the Canadians guarding them....

75% of the worlds heroin comes from Afghanistan..can you imagine the money these guys rake in every year.

So, to keeps the warlords / opium farmers sweet, you got to spend a little cash - speculate to accumulate.

The Company now are the new silent partners in the worlds largest heroin crops, and they have them guarded by a professional army...all in the war against terrorism.

The US and UK have been supporting and bribing Al Qaeda and Taliban leaders in the ME and abroad,for decades....They use them for several roles particularly in terrorist activities used inside desired regions,(including in the west)....These groups are part of the imaginary enemy scenario who's purpose is to conveniently blame most of the economical, governmental and other existing short comings,on Muslim terrorists...It also helps justifying the war expenses and US's involvement in other mostly Islamic countries.. ...People are very very slowly starting to realize this fact.

Can't see how that surprises anyone. Even the 9/11 report said that the CIA arrived at Northern Alliance headquarters with "bags and bags of $100 dollar bills".

That is simply what intelligence agency's do.

Brush up on your Shakespeare. "Arriving at the Senate with with vessels of gold for the money lenders and the whores"

Now that I think about it the NAZI's always had their own little special touch about intelligence work. They printed up millions and millions of fake British pounds and had agents hid in the Government district during the blitz to give away to the people to wreck the British Economy. The Jewish artisans they forced to make the plates put some of the letters backwards and the Abwehr guys were either to stupid or drunk to check.

There on display somewhere in London, a huge wall of them, can't remember where. To be so creative about some things Nazi intell were most of the time absolute idiots.

Wonder if anyone else remembers that.

God bless you.

You know their rules.

As long as there is meat on the carcass , they defend it and eat the meat.

Afghanistan has much meat. That is why they built bases in the country.