Patterico's Pontifications

10/28/2009

Who Cares About Corruption?

Filed under: Government,War — DRJ @ 8:49 pm



[Guest post by DRJ]

Today’s Department of State press briefing by spokesman Ian Kelly dealt with several subjects, including allegations of corruption involving Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s brother and claims the CIA may be paying him. It’s a lengthy exchange so click “More” to read the whole thing. It reminds me of Abbott & Costello’s “Who’s on First?” only with a different punchline:

QUESTION: “So you’re concerned about corruption — you’re concerned about corruption, but you have no views on corruption related to President Karzai’s brother?

MR. KELLY: At this moment, no, I don’t.”

— DRJ

QUESTION: Ian, quite apart from any report that may have appeared today or in the recent past, what does the Administration think about President Karzai’s brother?

MR. KELLY: What do we think about his brother? I don’t know that we necessarily have a view on his brother. I mean, we support the government of President Karzai, and our views are very well known on that.

QUESTION: Well, what do you think of the influence his brother might wield?

MR. KELLY: I don’t think I necessarily have that kind of information.

QUESTION: Okay. Perhaps then maybe you can the guidance you have for the question that you were expecting.

MR. KELLY: You’ve got to ask me the question before I read the guidance. I’m happy to read the guidance, if you’ll ask me the question.

QUESTION: All right.

QUESTION: What about reports that President Karzai’s brother is being paid by the CIA for various activities?

MR. KELLY: We don’t comment on intelligence matters.

QUESTION: But you’re not denying it?

QUESTION: Was that so difficult?

MR. KELLY: I just needed to have —

QUESTION: You’re not denying it?

MR. KELLY: — the question asked, and I was happy to say it. I’m just saying, we don’t comment.

QUESTION: You’re not denying it?

MR. KELLY: I mean, you know, in general, we don’t —

QUESTION: You don’t comment on people that you pay off?

MR. KELLY: We don’t comment on intelligence matters.

QUESTION: Well, I mean, just because it was paid for by the CIA, doesn’t – mean it was an intelligence matter. I mean, it sounds like you talk at great lengths about the war on drugs from this podium and combating drugs in Afghanistan and combating warlords in Afghanistan.

MR. KELLY: Yeah.

QUESTION: So I’m not necessarily sure if it’s an intelligence matter or just because the CIA is involved.

MR. KELLY: If it’s an – if the CIA is involved, it’s an intelligence matter.

QUESTION: So you’re not denying that you’re paying him?

MR. KELLY: I’m just saying, we don’t comment on intelligence matters.

QUESTION: And you’re saying that you don’t have any opinion about the role that the president’s brother plays?

MR. KELLY: I just am not going to – I don’t, as the spokesman of the State Department —

QUESTION: I’m not talking —

MR. KELLY: — have any particular view on the role of the —

QUESTION: Well, the State Department has an entire office led by a special envoy who deals with Afghanistan. And this guy is – whether or not anything that has been reported about him is true or not, he is obviously a player in that country. Surely, there must be some kind of opinion about him.

MR. KELLY: I’m sure there are opinions. It’s just that —

QUESTION: And contacts.

MR. KELLY: — I do not have an opinion from this podium on —

QUESTION: I mean, outside of —

MR. KELLY: — the president’s brother.

QUESTION: — outside of any payments that he received from the CIA, you’re saying that this building – representative – Special Rep Holbrooke on that – the whole office that deals with Afghanistan has no dealings with —

MR. KELLY: I’m not saying that at all. I’m sure people have an opinion.

QUESTION: Well, could you take the question what the dealings are with him?

MR. KELLY: No, I’m not going to take that question. I mean —

QUESTION: Why not?

MR. KELLY: — how is that germane necessarily to —

QUESTION: It is germane. There are questions about corruption, about —

MR. KELLY: Well, we have opinions on corruption.

QUESTION: Well, we’re asking specifically about corruption related to —

QUESTION: Do you think it’s a good thing? (Laughter.)

MR. KELLY: No, we don’t think it’s a good thing. (Laughter.) We think it’s a very bad thing —

QUESTION: We’re talking about corruption —

MR. KELLY: — and we’ve made that clear to the Government of Afghanistan, that we are very concerned about corruption and its very negative influence on how the people of Afghanistan see their government. We made it quite clear that we are going to seek a new understanding with the Government of Afghanistan on this issue, once the elections are completed and we have a post-election administration in place, we’re going to discuss these issues with them.

QUESTION: Well, but there are a lot of concerns specifically about President Karzai’s brother and related to corruption. And if it’s true what Secretary Clinton has said on the record that she expects that President Karzai would win a run-off election, presumably this gentleman would also have a role in the next government.

MR. KELLY: Well, let’s see what the next government consists of. I mean, right now, we need to get through the second round. And our focus is on that, on providing support for the Afghans as they go through this process.

QUESTION: So it doesn’t matter if there’s corruption related to this brother until the run-off is over?

MR. KELLY: I’m not saying that at all. I mean, I’m just saying that we are very concerned about corruption. But I’m not going to comment on the relationship of President Karzai’s relation – relationship with President Karzai with his brother and how it may or may not influence policy?

QUESTION: But you say that you’re concerned corruption. And a lot of the reports coming from Afghanistan – this report this morning about payoff to him notwithstanding – many of the reports and the anger in Afghanistan right now is centered around President Karzai’s brother.

MR. KELLY: Like I say, we are concerned about corruption and the very —

QUESTION: Just not about his brother?

MR. KELLY: — deleterious effect that it has the view of the Afghan people about their government. I mean, that – we’re very clear on that. But I don’t have any —

QUESTION: Including his brother?

MR. KELLY: I’m not going – like I say, I don’t have any views on his brother.

QUESTION: So you’re concerned about corruption — you’re concerned about corruption, but you have no views on corruption related to President Karzai’s brother?

MR. KELLY: At this moment, no, I don’t.

8 Responses to “Who Cares About Corruption?”

  1. they’re trying to figure out how Ear Leader or one of his cronies can edge into the deal…

    after all, that’s the Chicago way. %-)

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  2. Does anyone else get the feeling that we may have elected a “feel-good” guy to the highest position in the world, being advised by a bunch of foul-mouthed frat boy failures and abetted by a chorus who couldn’t make the cheer team?

    I know they’re the smartest kids on the global block. That’s a given. But can they, at least, start to attempt to act like it?

    Ag80 (815bcd)

  3. who’s “we”?

    i didn’t elect this moron, and he’s not my President. don’t hang this BS on me…. y’all are getting everything i predicted.

    i told you so.

    redc1c4 (fb8750)

  4. The “we” may have been from a more collective sense rather than a personal sense. I, like you, did not vote for him. But a whole lot of people did.

    Ag80 (815bcd)

  5. They’re only concerned about those that they don’t like.

    Why do you think they haven’t gone after Blago’s paid stand-in?

    Because they like him.

    Icy Texan (cd32da)

  6. “smartest kids on the global lock”

    Lol.

    Audacity (2fd5ad)

  7. “smartest kids on the global block”

    Lol.

    Audacity (2fd5ad)

  8. So the CIA began doing this on Obambi’s watch?
    Rilly?
    The CIA that lies to congress.
    And you’re the ones who want to stay, even though your policies blew it. We had an opportunity in Afghanistan but everyone got sent to “I-rak”

    washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2009/10/27/DI2009102703143.html
    Matthew Hoh: Foreign Service official resigns in protest over Afghan war. Former Marine captain says he no longer knows why his nation is fighting.

    “I found that the majority of those who were fighting us and the Afghan central government were fighting us because they felt occupied. … We cannot justify the deaths of our young men and women for the goal of changing a society’s internal cultural and familial norms. This is a goal best left to NGOs and IOs or through the U.S. government’s strategic communications. … Those organizations that work best are those that consist primarily of local staff led by well experienced expats who live and work with local populations. … We’ve known for a long time that Wali Karzai has been involved in the drug trade.”

    Being a Republican is never having to say you’re sorry. Always finding ways to avoid responsibility.
    And no I don’t think Obama’s strong enough to just get out. He’s too scared of know-nothings on the right.

    bored again (d80b5a)


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