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Hamid Karzai has used an interview with the Voice of America to deny that his regime oversees a “narco-state.” The Afghan president put the production of “a lot of poppies” down to the turmoil the country has endured through three decades of war.
Specifically, he contrasted his administration to “mafia-dominated” economies. These, he said, can be termed “narco-states.”
On closer examination, though, the distinctions are difficult to find. The Afghan heroin trade is enjoying the benefits of a bumper crop this year, and will likely exceed the industry’s previously estimated $4 billion to $6 billion yearly value. Karzai’s central government, meantime, took in just $350 million in legal revenues in 2006.
Investigating the production, refining and trafficking of opium products in Afghanistan is not so much a matter of following the money, as counter-narcotics policemen are fond of saying. In Kabul, the money does its own walking and talking - and following. Cold hard cash follows appointees to high office: judges, police and security officials, anyone who can make business more secure for the big drug gangs.
Suspected “generals” of the trade are remarkably high-profile. U.N. reports have alleged that top officials of the Interior Ministry turn a blind eye to trafficking in return for bribes. Recently, at a joint news conference in Kabul given by the Afghan Attorney General and his visiting British counterpart, questions arose in public for the first time about President Karzai’s brother Wali, head of the Council of Kandahar.
Attorney General Abdul Jabar Sabet replied that he had “seen no evidence” linking Wali Karzai to the drug trade. Given Sabet’s own record, as detailed in skyreporter’s AFGHAN HEROIN series of film reports, it’s fair to ask if the Attorney General has chosen simply to close his eyes to that evidence.
His undermining of counter-narcotics policing at Kabul Airport has been exhaustively detailed here, along with his sudden and unexplained wealth since assuming office last August. A crucial link in Sabet’s career path points to probable explanations. That link is a human one, in the form of warlord Abdul Rab Rasool Sayyaf.
One of the most feared and despised engineers of Afghanistan’s ruinous civil war of the 1990’s, Sayyaf is an MP and heads the parliamentary minority. He has close links to Wali Karzai. And Sayyaf’s support was essential to securing confirmation of Hamid Karzai’s nomination of Sabet as Attorney General.
Upon taking office, Sabet, a Pashtun like Sayyaf and Karzai, dismissed all Tajiks from the AG’s staff. He appointed one of Sayyaf’s men, Stanakzai, as his deputy for anti-narcotics affairs. This complemented a Sayyaf appointee, named Sadat, who became Chief of Narcotics at the Ministry of the Interior.
Some rogues “lawyer up.” Sayyaf has co-opted, cajoled – or just bought – a constellation of top law enforcement officials. His wealth and property holdings have become so conspicuous that one of the foreign warlords responsible, indirectly, for reviving his career after the dispersal of the Taliban has now turned on him: the United States of America.
Which seems odd, given that it was a U.S. Justice Department attorney, Bill Hogan, that helped gain Sayyaf’s confederate Sabet his nomination to the Attorney General’s post. But this is Afghanistan, after all, where U.S. policy comes, goes and chases its tail in abject futility.
Next week on skyreporter, the promising aspects of Afghanistan’s new democracy - and their chances of survival as old villains join forces to fill their pockets, block reform and stamp out dissent.
14 Comments
Arthur, do you know about the past of Minister anti-narcotics affairs. he was a drugs dealres in USA and he was arrested in los vegas in connection of drugs trafficking and jailed for three years but, he is not denying the allgation.
he was saying that it (was for my wife use)when it found on his hotel room,He is a close friend of MR Carzy and he is his classmid when they were in india,Mr Carzy denying that he was aware of his close friend activity b4 his nomanation to this post, which is impossible to not knowing about ur friends.more information available on req!!!!!!
Ah yes, Mr. Wasifi, Karzai's current "anti-corruption" chief. Who spent four years in Nevada State prison, after trying to sell $100,000 worth of heroin to an undercover agent - in Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas.
Yes, the Afghan president makes most interesting choices for his inner circle. Which the Afghan people, and the world community, must pay for. How much longer do you think this can go on?
karzi won the ellection because of westren backing! afghan people chose the westren choice because of promices otherwise we hadnt know who he was. we were expecting to see behaind him hope and brid future as a westren promices. now all this empty word is over, we all know about him, and about the false promices.you as a westren man do not want to pay from your taxes any more for Sabit new house and we do not vote and support for this government.Arture, after long war we wellcom you with open hearth to assist us for rebuilding of our country, and you sent me your tax to keep me a live but unfortuntely, we are going to the dark age ,thanks to Karzi and his mafia circle.we will wait to see what is the international community action twards this regim , millitery action is always the last to think about as a no choise.
Well Karzai made a lot or promises to a lot of people and he is paying them back with seats and titles and pardons etc.
6 years later the Taliban are still a problem and Karzai is the one who said "only 150 Taliban are bad" and yet this 150 doesn't ever seem to get reduced.
There are a few rays of hope, Naijil. Many of us in the West understand that helping Afghanistan succeed is vital to our own communities' security, too. And considering the lives and money we've invested so far, voters are not going to accept their politicians' unthinking support for a broken regime in Kabul.
The more we discuss these issues, and the more people we bring to the discussion, the sooner we'll force some genuine progress. Remember, politicians only do what the public forces them to do - at the business end of a ballot box.
Arthur, this is off subject, but my family is helping in what little ways we can through
http://www.kiva.org/
which gives out small loans to people in places such as Afghanistan. In Afghanistan, Kiva's financial partner is Ariana, an institution started by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. We (you) make small loans to people trying to better their lives through work, loans from $25 upwards. It is such a terrific way to reach out and help (also in Africa, etc) and it is NOT charity, so one is not enabling those who really do not want charity. Anyone wanting to participate should check out the Kiva.org website. Turns the talk into a little bit of action.
Patrick, so true. I've seen how Afghan families in particular are really resourceful in the way they apply financial assistance. In fact the considerable progress they've made towards rebuilding the country - in spite of war, corruption and a failed central government - shows that direct aid, however humble, really works.
Patrick, I did not know this. Since when has Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation been concerned about humanitarian issues?
Perhaps they have heard that Karzai's Administration, at the order of his foreign funders, has launched a neo-liberal agenda in Afghanistan, the items of which agenda are privatization of all public sectors and free market. Perhaps it is precisely this agenda that interests the Foundation so that it could find a niche in the regional market.
The problem in Afghanistan is obviously multi-dimensional, not solely financial and not one that would necessarily require the involvement of the military. They are indeed quick-fixes, but not effective long-term. They slow down the vicious cycle of poverty and conflict a wee bit, or further exacerbate them. Quick fixes such these ignore social issues and the history that has given rise to the current situation.
In subtle ways, these quick-fixes also try to distract attention from actual problems, the real agendas which are hidden behind these quick-fixes, for instance, the neo-liberal economic agenda or in a wider-context the imperialist agenda of military expansion in the region.
You haven't heard Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation talk about lack of distribution of resources in our world or lack of social justice, have you?
Dear Aziz,
Every bit of help is good and needed in Afghanistan. And should be appreciated.
Dear Kamran, as long as that "bit of help" doesn't ruin us even more, fine. I hope you understand what I am trying to get at by posting these comments.
I don't see why we should appreciate any type of help that is politicized and at best condescending towards Afghans. On the one hand, they bomb us and on the other, they assist us? How does the two reconcile? Reminds me of Soviet's tactics to win "the hearts and minds" of Afghan people by killing our people and then sending their humanitarian packages to Afghanistan.
History repeats itself.
Aziz, before criticizing, maybe just check out Kiva.org and don't concentrate on the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It aint no perfect world, my friend, power-hungry and immoral men have seen to that. Some of us try to do a little bit of good - armchair critics are just that, armchair critics whose words do not speak louder than actions.
Hey, I have a cheap solution for all those leg amputees in your favorite country. And yet, it actually works
www.jleg-enabled.20fr.com
Suggested reading by Winston Churchill, when he was in Afghanistan. Some thing "like the story of Malakand". These Taliban were called Taliban more than a hundred years ago. Just makes me think. Not that I agree with the cruel, and unreasonable soultions of Taliban for world issues.
Patrick, when I was working in an internally displaced camp in Afghanistan with malnourished children in 1994, at that time perhaps you could not even locate Afghanistan on the map because Afghanistan was a "forgotten" country. A country that did not serve the western world any purpose.
I am not here to make people feel comfortable about their "token" humanitarian work. As for "cheap solution for all those amputees," the occupying soldiers of former Soviet Union in Afghanistan came to realize that they needed prosthesis as much as the people that they injured.
See my earlier comments for the 17th of May.
You guys in the west, plz come to know that your best choise Karzai and his cabinet is faild to restablize afghanistan.You cannot find any of Karzai's minister to really work for the people of Afghanistan. It's becoz they are not Afghans. Mostly the citizins of western countries. who have come here to fill thier pockets.
Although these guys which are so called warlords by you are not better than Karzai and his team, but at least they have some of Afghan people who accept them not Karzai.
We really need a change in the government in here, we need reall Afghans for Afghansitan and there is no few of them. lots of good and professionals are here but no body pays attention to them.Instead we are having some one like Wasifi or Sabet as our important authorities.
Arash, you're right - many former mujahideen are genuine patriots and can be justifiably proud of their struggle against the Soviets in the 1980's, and their efforts to end civil war ever since.
I'll be profiling just such a man here at skyreporter in the very near future. He's someone who risked everything to defeat both the communists and extremist groups backed by Pakistan, and who now serves Afghanistan very effectively, and honestly, from outside the walls of Karzai's palace.
Arthur - very little is written in the Canadian press about aid efforts in Afghanistan . The German press did an unflattering article about a year ago on this issue . ( Der Spiegel )
Would you give us your perspective on Canadian government / U.N. aid groups ?
Arash : sorry I am very unfamiliar with your people's daily lives .
In Canada the people at the local level seem to have lost control of their political candidates . We however are not threaten openly if we fight for change .
Would you be kind enough to tell expieriece at your end please . The bravery of your people is world renown from before Alexander the Great .
Aziz,
I agree with you 100%. So what do you suggest we do? Maybe if Afghans were more united we could all come together to find a solution?! This isn't the job for the international community to figure out, it's the job of Afghans to figure out. We have the resources we need right there in our own country. Now all we need is an intelligent plan of action, by an intelligent leader, to unite our people and our nation.
The "quick-fixes" that you mentioned will do nothing for the deeper issues at hand, which, lets face it, only Afghans truly know about and only Afghans can deal with.
It's time to get rid of the old "backward-thinking" leaders in congress and replace them with new and fresh ideas.
How? When? You tell me.
JaNe_DoE,
Here you go! The outside world have always made us think as if we lack local resources or resourcefulness. As you have mentioned in your comment, we have the resources that we need right in our own country. We are really talking about basic needs: access to food, water, shelter, education and basic health care as well as human security.
Among other issues, we do lack a wise and compassionate leader to unite us. When we talk about such a leader, I am reminded of a passage from my favorite book "The Black Jacobins" - by the way highly recommended for Afghans - where the author C.L.R James write about Toussaint L'Ouverture, a barely literate slave, who led the Black people of San Domingo in successful struggle against successive invasions by overwhelming French, Spanish and English forces and in the process helped form the first independent nation in Caribbean. Here is the passage:
"Leader of a backward and ignorant mass, he was yet in the forefront of the great historical movement of his time. The blacks were taking their part in the destruction of European feudalism begun by the French-man. That was why in the hour of danger Toussaint, uninstructed as he was, could find the language and accent of Diderot, Rousseau, and Raynal, of Mirabeau, Robespierre, and Danton. And in one respect he excelled them all. For even these masters of spoken and written word, owning to the class complications of their society, too often had to PAUSE, to HESITATE, to QUALIFY. Toussaint could defend the freedom of the blacks without RESERVATION, and this gave to his declaration a strength and a single-mindedness rare in the great documents of the time. The French bourgeoisie could not understand it. Rivers of blood were to flow before they understood that elevated as was his tone, Toussaint had written neither bombast nor rhetoric but the SIMPLE and SOBER truth."
Regards, Aziz
Thanks Aziz. Sounds like a good book, I'll look into it. ;)
I know you don't mean to sound harsh, but it is difficult for some of us to pick up and just 'go to Afghanistan to help'. Yes, I certainly could pick out Afghanistan in 1994. Since the very early 1960's, in fact, perhaps even before you were born, Afghanistan was one of the few countries that I wanted to see. Marriage, work, my children, and wars got in the way. Now I am in my 70's and in not the best condition to travel, so must try to do what little I can from my country. Perhaps, you could offer some "constructive" advice re this. And L'Ouverture was indeed a brave man (read "Break the Chains"), but the country he so fought for, now Haiti, is in terrible shape - I don't think he was ever forgiven by the 'powers' of the world. It does sound all so familiar, doesn't it?
Keith said, "We however are not threaten openly if we fight for change." Wrong. I have been threatened openly for fighting for change. I have been roundly persecuted for advocating equality for North American Aboriginal people. I have been hit-and-run for inventing a working artificial leg. And wait. For Canadians are not immune from the way the world turns. If you don't think we can be made to suffer for our beliefs, just wait. The worm turns for everyone.
Stellar quote above in Aziz's comment to JaneDoe EVERYONE don't fail to read it
One point of "constructive" departure for action would be to adopt "a more egalitarian language of alliances, coalitions, and solidarity, instead of salvation." Another one would involve being cautious of accepting things at face value, for instance, the involvement of the World Bank and IMF, in Afghanistan or that of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, for that matter.
While I realize the unforgiving attitudes of the powers of the world in connection to Haiti, I believe in the eventual success of Haitians' long-time struggle for self-determination and freedom.
If we think of power as dominating, one which "always relies on the consent or submission of the dominated," as suggested by Hardt & Negri, in their famous book called "Multitude", the dominating power "is always limited, and this limit can always potentially be transformed into resistance..."
Even if the dominating power tries to embark on an "asymetrical conflicts victory in terms of complete domination", we know that it is an impossible task.
Given that it is an impossible task to completely dominate, contrary to Bush's rhetoric "We will prevail", therein lies hope for resistance, even if it is small. The more the dominating power pushes for submission, the stronger the resistance becomes, small as it maybe.
Patrick, my apologies for inadvertently sounding harsh.
Thanks Keith, We the poeple of Afghanistan with no doubt are brave as the history is withness for that, but despite we have some opportunists now in our rigem. The parliament is aslo doing the favor for those who prepare the cenario for them. The big petty is that afghanistan is losing it's golden chance day by day becoz of this unqualified politicians. The international community should come to understand that like this they will never succed in their mission. I think they have to fix these tow problems at least.first the interference of pakistan and second the government in afghansitan.
Luckily both are do-able, Arash. Pakistan's role is no longer a mystery to anyone - outside the Bush White House, that is. Border clashes between Pakistani and Afghan forces now demand effective political and diplomatic intervention from Afghanistan's foreign "friends."
In parliament, there are many responsible and capable MPs. But as you suggest, the anti-democratic and criminal elements there will have to be marginalized before there can be any true progress. But don't give up. It's a matter of convincing more Western leaders that all those words they speak actually have meaning: their own self-interest is both linked to and dependent upon that of the Afghan people. Not to the imposters who are currently running the Kabul regime into the ground.
I am so delighted to know that there are people like Patrick here who are directly involved in humanitarian work in Afghanistan. Evey bit of assistence is hugely appreciated there. Every one of us here understands what it takes to offer aid to the remote corners of the world.
Thank you Patrick for your care and love for Afghans. I wish we had more optimistic Afghans like Arash here, but instead we have a relatively educated cynic who generously offers not a solution but a conceited criticism. Aziz's pessimism is completely unintelligible to me. It is utter mockery that can only arise from some personalized trauma. I wish he indulged deeper in his novels and left the space for others to do some contructive and humanitarian work. All we have seen is gloom. Let us see some hope. Arthur talked about hope. Please talk about hope.
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