Kerry is in Afghanistan

[karynnj]

U.S. Senator John Kerry is in the Afghan capital to meet President Hamid Karzai, Gen. David Petraeus, U.S. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry and other top American officials, who are pushing Karzai to address government corruption

A statement Tuesday by Karzai's office says he sent a letter to President Barack Obama saying the war strategy needs review. Without mentioning neighboring Pakistan, Karzai said in the letter that there is a need to forcus on the "roots and sanctuaries" of terrorism outside Afghanistan instead of only fighting the war in Afghan homes and villages.

In the meeting at the palace, Karzai also pressed his desire to disband private security companies, which he says have created a separate security structure that is undermining the nation's army and police.

http://www.todayonline.com/BreakingNews/EDC100817-0000220/US-Senator-John-Kerry-meets-Afghan-president-on-corruption,-private-security-companies

Here is CNN's article, which has more details, which are interesting. (The title is weird - "Karzai meets with U.S. Senator on war" - what's up with that?

Karzai said that the war won't be successful until there's "a clear explanation of who is friend and who is foe and until we focus on the bases and roots" of terror.

"This is why there is a need for reviewing the goals and strategy of war," Karzai said.

Participants in the meeting included Dr. Rangin Spanta, Afghanistan's national security adviser; U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry and Gen. David Petraeus, the top international military official in the country.

Karzai told officials that they should avoid actions that disturb Afghans and discussed his plans to shut down private security firms.

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/asiapcf/08/17/afghanistan.karzai.kerry/

[ProSense]

1. Afghanistan orders ban on private security firms

Afghanistan orders ban on private security firms

By Paul Tait

KABUL (Reuters) – Afghan President Hamid Karzai issued a decree on Tuesday setting a deadline of four months to disband private security companies, less than a week after Washington expressed some reservations about the plan.

The decree said the private security firms were being banned to avoid the misuse of weapons which had caused "horrific and tragic incidents."

It was issued just hours after Karzai met influential U.S. Senator John Kerry, the Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The decree said the order to disband the companies, which employ up to 40,000 people working mainly for Western enterprises in Afghanistan, was being issued "to prevent irregularities."

more

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Nevertheless, the move had been welcomed by the commander of international forces in Afghanistan, US General David Petraeus, and John Kerry, chairman of the Senate foreign relations committee, Karzai's office said.

During a meeting earlier Tuesday, Karzai "briefed the American delegation on the Afghan government's decision to disband private security companies and said the dissolution of the firms was a public demand," a statement said.

"The delegation welcomed the move," it said, adding: "Senator John Kerry hailed the decision as the right step and assured his country's support."

Kerry was on a brief visit to Afghanistan, during which he was expected to dine with Karzai and visit US troops before travelling to Pakistan.

<...>

link

[karynnj]

2. Thanks for that

Many of the articles were written saying that the US and NATO were unhappy with the private security firm decision. But, it is hard to see how many private security firms, protecting the rich and the companies, don't undercut the government. Who actually defines the rules?

What isn't said is how the government security forces would replace the private firms. The private firms came to exist because there was a need for them as government was not preforming its responsibilities to its people. What could be more basic than security? If the intent is for government to stand up - on this and other services - this could be a very bold, dramatic step by Karzai.

It would seem that people would only really support the government if they saw it as serving their needs - providing governance and security. It also likely doesn't hurt that could be seen as telling off NATO and the US. It seems that, here, for one of the first times, the Afghans want a say in the policies. Now, the US might not welcome that, but I would bet that the Afghani people might.

[karynnj]

3. More articles after Kerry spoke to the press in Afghanistan

Afghanistan's government must show progress on eradicating rampant corruption or risk losing the support of the United States, which helps it stay in power, a senior US politician said Tuesday.

Senator John Kerry described corruption as "one of the most significant challenges facing Afghanistan and facing the allies who are supporting Afghanistan," as a war against Taliban insurgents drags towards its tenth year.
<snip>
I think in the next days the government of Afghanistan's response to anti-corruption efforts are a key test of its ability to regain the confidence of the people and provide the kind of governance that the American people are prepared to support with hard-earned tax dollars and most importantly with the treasure of our country, the lives of young men and women," Kerry said.

"I believe President Karzai wants to do that but my belief that he wants to do it is not going to be enough. It's going to have to be done."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ixas2ZyvQUVLsqcPnTv0DOlCO0jw

"That's the test right now, that's why I'm here, because I think President Karzai and his government need to understand that there is no patience for endless support for something that doesn't meet higher standards with respect to governance," Kerry told a small group of reporters in Kabul after meeting Karzai.
<snip>
He said it was not yet time for Washington to abandon its support of Karzai simply because Americans were impatient for results, adding that Obama's new strategy of sending extra troops had only been in place since December 2009.
<snip>
"I understand the impatience but impatience is not a strategy and impatience doesn't meet the security needs of our country," said Kerry, who was to have dinner with Karzai later on Tuesday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSSGE67G0I7

CNN has edited it's article and now says "John Kerry" rather than US Senator - and they have a photo.

The Washington Post now has an article, the strong lead sentence says it all.

U.S. Sen. John Kerry told the president of Afghanistan on Tuesday that his efforts to battle corruption were crucial if he wants to retain the support of U.S. taxpayers at a time when more American troops are dying in the war.

Kerry's two meetings with President Hamid Karzai came at a time when U.S. lawmakers are increasingly doubtful that the military effort can succeed without a serious campaign against bribery and graft that have eroded the Afghan people's trust in their government.

"I think that in the next days, the government of Afghanistan's response to anti-corruption efforts are a key test of its ability to regain the confidence of the people and provide the kind of governance that the American people are prepared to support with hard-earned tax dollars and with most importantly, with the treasure of our country - the lives of young American men and women," Kerry told reporters.

"If we have knowledge of things that we know are happening and the (Afghan) government doesn't respond to it, it's going to be very, very difficult for us to look American families in the eye and say, `Hey, that's something worth dying for."'

McClatchy has this:

U.S. Sen. John Kerry arrived in Kabul on Tuesday for another tough diplomatic mission to smooth over newly strained relations between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and the Obama administration.

Ten months after playing a pivotal role in persuading Karzai to agree to a presidential runoff after a corruption-plagued vote, Kerry returned to the Afghan capital with a firm new message: Karzai must allow the country's new anti-corruption departments to do their job.

"President Karzai and his government need to understand that there is no patience for endless support for something that doesn't meet higher standards with respect to governance," Kerry told a small group of reporters in between meetings with the Afghan leader.
<snip>
Kerry's visit follows closely on the heels of an hour-long phone call President Barack Obama made to Karzai last week that included discussion of their disagreement over the American-backed anti-corruption investigators.

Read more: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/08/17/99289/top-senate-democrat-presses-karzai.html#ixzz0wtGMoh6L

[thereismore]

4. Karzai: Hey, these guys are my friends, so they are OK. Shoot the other guys and we have a deal.