Sunday, July 11, 2010

Why Afghanistan is a lost cause


More money leaves the country for private bank accounts each year than the government collects in taxes and fees, the Wall Street Journal reported

By Joel Brinkley

As Gen. David Petraeus assumed his new command in Afghanistan earlier this month, he took up a strategy that has already failed - though not for the reasons most people assume.

Certainly, as most everyone knows, the battle plan appears hopeless. Every night in Marjah, Taliban killers post "night letters" in mosques and other public places, warning city residents they will be killed if they cooperate with the Americans. The next day, quite often, they follow through on their threats.

At least 26 of every 100 children born in Afghanistan die before they reach the age of 5. UNICEF says that's the worst child-mortality rate in the world. Of those who survive, almost 60 percent suffer from moderate to severe stunting - also the world's highest rate. Stunting results from sickness or malnutrition during infancy, and it's irreversible. The children grow up to be small and not very smart.
It makes sense, then, that fewer than one-third of Afghan adults can read and write. On average, they earn about $250 a year and die before they reach age 45 - also among the lowest figures in the world. Finally, they are served by a government that is practically the most corrupt on the planet. Transparency International rates only one country, Somalia, as worse.

Tribune Media Services Inc., Jul. 11, 2010

American and NATO troops "liberated" Marjah in February, hoping it would become a showplace, and now occupation forces number one for every eight city residents. Still, more people are dying in gunbattles on the city's streets right now than during the operation in February. Local officials are afraid to travel by car to the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah. They take a helicopter instead, even when the drive would take only 20 minutes.

Before he was fired last month, Gen. Stanley McChrystal called Marjah a "bleeding ulcer." All of that is part of a noxious stew of problems on the battlefield. Still, in 2005 and 2006, the war in Iraq looked equally hopeless. Since then, however, the situation there has improved significantly.

But a larger problem afflicts the effort in Afghanistan, one that coalition forces are virtually powerless to address. That is the population's blighted state of affairs. Consider a few statistics that limn the people's lives.

At least 26 of every 100 children born in Afghanistan die before they reach the age of 5. UNICEF says that's the worst child-mortality rate in the world. Of those who survive, almost 60 percent suffer from moderate to severe stunting - also the world's highest rate. Stunting results from sickness or malnutrition during infancy, and it's irreversible. The children grow up to be small and not very smart.

It makes sense, then, that fewer than one-third of Afghan adults can read and write. On average, they earn about $250 a year and die before they reach age 45 - also among the lowest figures in the world. Finally, they are served by a government that is practically the most corrupt on the planet. Transparency International rates only one country, Somalia, as worse.

The cornerstone of the coalition's counterinsurgency strategy calls for the Afghan government to step up and provide stronger government institutions and public services. Afghans must begin to regard President Hamid Karzai's administration as an efficient, helpful alternative to the Taliban. The government must also provide security nationwide once the Americans leave.

But consider what the dark social statistics mean for that plan. An estimated 90 percent of the new recruits for the Afghan army are illiterate. You don't have to read to shoot a rifle, but you do need to be able to read the rifle's instruction manual.

The Afghan police are no better educated, but that's not the most serious problem. Across the country, police set up impromptu checkpoints along the road. They stop cars and demand a payment for permission to pass. These are the lawmen who are going to protect the people after the Americans leave? As it is, most won't investigate a crime unless the victim pays a bribe.

What is the Afghan government doing to remedy these pernicious problems? It is sending suitcases full of cash, at least $1 billion a year in bribe proceeds and purloined foreign aid, out of the country to private accounts in Dubai or other banking capitals. That's not a secret; the shipments are declared as they pass through Kabul's airport. The money has been laundered through hawalas, private money-transfer businesses, and the government gives this practice its blessing.

"Taking money out of the country is fine," Karzai said during a news conference last month. "The relatives of government officials can do this," even "my brothers," who are generally regarded as the nation's most avaricious thieves.

More money leaves the country for private bank accounts each year than the government collects in taxes and fees, the Wall Street Journal reported. When pressed, Karzai did allow that "there's a possibility of corruption." The United States is well aware of the problem. Congress is demanding investigations; the military is chartering audits and inquiries.

But that leaves the United States in an impossible position. To win the war in Afghanistan, the United States must turn a nation that stands as a model of bald-faced thievery into a clean, honest institution that cares for its people, now the most neglected in the world.

It can't be done.

Joel Brinkley, a professor of journalism at Stanford University, is a former Pulitzer Prize-winning foreign correspondent for the New York Times. To comment, e-mail Brinkley@foreignmatters.com. Contact us via our online form at sfgate.com/chronicle/submissions/#1.

Category: Taliban, US-NATO, HR Violations, Poverty, Corruption - Views: 102





PM Netanyahu's remarks at the start of today's Cabinet meeting

Shalom, everyone.
These are Bibi's remarks about his visit to the U.S., also known as Prison Nation



11 Jul 2010
PM Netanyahu reported to the Cabinet on his visit to the United States.



Israel Cabinet meeting (Reuters archive photo)
(Communicated by the Prime Minister's Media Adviser)

Following are Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks at the start of
the Cabinet meeting today (Sunday), 11 July 2010:

"Last week I held a series of meetings in New York and Washington, first of
all with US President Barack Obama. I also met with senior American
administration officials, media figures and Jewish community leaders.

The alliance between Israel and the US is stable and strong. It has the
support of the American administration and people. My visit to the US last
week gave tangible expression to strength and durability of this unbreakable
bond. In my meeting with the US President, we had a comprehensive and
excellent discussion in which we covered a broad range of issues.

The first issue that came up was advancing the peace process between us and
the Palestinian Authority. I reiterated to the President Israel's desire to
proceed immediately to direct negotiations with the PA, with the goal being
to advance the diplomatic process and try to reach a peace agreement. The
condition for achieving this agreement is scrupulously maintaining the
security of the country and its citizens. I gained the impression that the
American side as well there is the recognition that we must proceed to
direct talks in order to advance the peace process. I gained the impression
that the President is also attentive to the State of Israel's special
security needs. On these issues we are working in concert. We hope that the
PA will accede to the call to begin direct talks at soon as possible.

The second issue that arose in my conversation with President Obama was the
danger of Iran achieving nuclear weapons and thereby threatening not only
Israel, the Middle East and the peace therein but the entire world as well.
I very much appreciate the Us President's statement that he is determined to
prevent Iran from achieving nuclear weapons. I expressed my appreciation
that he brought a decision on sanctions to the UN Security Council and that
he signed into law aggressive US sanctions several days ago. I expressed
both my hope that other countries will join in these aggressive sanctions
and my assessment that if Iran indeed achieves nuclear weapons, there will
be no effective containment policy against it. Therefore, everything must be
done so that Iran does not achieve nuclear weapons.

The third issue that arose in our talks was the nuclear disarmament
conference. President Obama and the White House reiterated the American
commitment to important strategic understandings with the State of Israel in
this area. The President made it clear that American policy on these
strategic issues has not changed and that the US understands - as the
President put it - that due to the size of the threats against it and given
our history, the State of Israel is in a special situation.

The fourth issue that came up in our conversation was Gilad Shalit. I asked
the President to use his full strength and influence to help us in achieving
Gilad's release after four years of captivity, in which he was been denied
any Red Cross visits - another war crime being perpetrated by Hamas.
Immediately upon my return to Israel, my wife and I met with Aviva and Noam
Shalit. I updated them on my talks on Gilad's release and the efforts to
bring this about.

These and other issues also came up in my meeting with US Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. I also spoke with
them about the diplomatic process and Israel's security needs, and our plans
to strengthen ourselves in the face of the possible plans of others in the
region.

I also met with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and, as I have said, with
senior figures in the American media, including the editors of The New York
Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, as well as other
networks and analysts. I also participated in a very warm meeting organized
by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

In all of my meetings, I found understanding and support for Israel as a
whole, understanding that Israel must be supported at this special time
against the attacks - including physical and political - that we have
withstood in recent months. I found broad support for our decision to lift
the civilian blockade on Gaza while strictly maintaining the security
blockade, and the understanding that we are doing what must be done in order
to prevent the entry into Gaza of weapons, missiles and rockets, out of
concern for the security of Israel's citizens.

On Tuesday, I will meet with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo. This
will be our fifth meeting in one year. I hope to work with him in advancing
the direct talks with the Palestinian Authority."