Quote for the Day

by Chris Dierkes on December 2, 2009

From Huffpo:

Zbigniew Brzezinski also cautioned that it would be hypocritical and counterproductive for America to stress that Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s government be purged of corruption.

“Who are we to seriously be preaching [such] a crusade?” he asked. “We have a financial sector that is voraciously greedy and exploitative, to put it mildly. We have a Congress which is not immune to special interests. And we have an electoral system that is based largely on private donations which precipitate expectations of rewards. The notion of us going to the Afghans and preaching purity is comical… I think we should just quit that stuff.”

Amen.

We have a government run by the banking industry (i.e. banksters).  Afghanistan’s is run by drug lords (i.e. gangsters).  What’s the big difference?

{ 4 comments }

1 Will December 2, 2009 at 12:59 pm

Oh come on, Dierkes. That’s a lazy comparison.

2 Jaybird December 2, 2009 at 1:09 pm

This may or may not re-enforce Will’s point but I’d just like to say “come on in, the water’s fine”.

3 Chris Dierkes December 2, 2009 at 1:31 pm

I know it’s lazy. It’s my off day. Also I meant it a little tongue-in-cheek. But I completely agree that this whole imposition of an anti-corruption campaign on Afghanistan is another Western dream (nightmare?), probably colonial(ish) in nature and is an absolute farce.

4 Mike at The Big Stick December 2, 2009 at 1:31 pm

I heard that quote while on the treadmill at the gym this morning. I have to say amen as well. Corruption in Afghanistan is only a problem in so far as it prevents them from controlling their territory and keeping AQ out.

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