CIA picked the WRONG Senator to mess with. Kerry reacts to NYT CIA/Karzai brother report:

[beachmom]

As many of you may have read, an NYT article out last night reports that Karzai's brother is on the payroll of the CIA:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/28/world/asia/28intel.html?hp

This after Kerry's whirlwind trip where he convinced President Karzai to agree with a runoff. At the Council of Foreign Relations on Monday, Kerry was asked about Karzai's brother about allegations that he was involved with spurious things like the drug trade. Kerry answered that he had specifically asked intelligence agencies if there was a "smoking gun" on this, and there wasn't. But now that this NYT article is out, it seems Sen. Kerry is none too pleased to be blindsided:

http://washingtonindependent.com/65561/john-kerry-does-not-like-being-misled

Here is John Kerry's statement:

Senior American officials have told me repeatedly that there is no hard evidence linking Ahmed Wali Karzai to drug trafficking. However, after reading press accounts which allege that Mr. Karzai has been on the payroll of the CIA, one of the agencies gathering intelligence about narcotics trafficking in Afghanistan, I have serious questions about the information that Congress is receiving. On questions this serious, it is imperative that we receive reliable, current and accurate information.

“Reducing corruption and stopping the bribes from drug traffickers are absolutely essential to developing an effective Afghan government. Just this week, three DEA agents gave their lives in the fight against drug trafficking, a chilling reminder of the sacrifices American civilians and troops make in Afghanistan.

“We should not condemn Ahmed Wali Karzai or damage our critical relations with his brother, President Karzai, on the basis of newspaper articles or rumors. But the appropriate congressional committees must be immediately provided with the most comprehensive and untainted information about his alleged entanglements.”

Spencer Ackerman aptly adds the following:

History teaches it doesn’t pay to mislead Kerry about drug-related issues.

And he links to this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerry_Committee_report

Kerry is a bit of an expert on the CIA getting involved with the drug trade. Did they really think they could pull a fast one on him now?