Is The White House Laying The Groundwork To Get Rid Of President Karzai?

Ahmed Wali Karzai, right, the brother of President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan, at a campaign event in Kandahar in August. Banaras Khan/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

Brother of Afghan Leader Is Said to Be on C.I.A. Payroll -- New York Times

KABUL, Afghanistan — Ahmed Wali Karzai, the brother of the Afghan president and a suspected player in the country’s booming illegal opium trade, gets regular payments from the Central Intelligence Agency, and has for much of the past eight years, according to current and former American officials.

The agency pays Mr. Karzai for a variety of services, including helping to recruit an Afghan paramilitary force that operates at the C.I.A.’s direction in and around the southern city of Kandahar, Mr. Karzai’s home.

Read more ....

My Comment: It is well known that President Obama's administration has no love for President Karzai, and they are blaming him for many of the problems in Afghanistan. President Karzai has also been critical of the U.S., more so since President Obama has assumed the office.

Do both men and Governments see eye to eye .... definitely not. But with this story in the New York Times .... probably leaked to them by the White House .... this animosity is reaching a new and different level.

The Karzai brothers understand where this is going, and have vehemently condemned the New York Times story. They understand that this is a ploy to effect next weeks elections, and to undermine their legitimacy. They also know who is pushing this story, and it is not the New York Times.

From my point of view, this affair illustrates the problems and difficulties that we have in trying to have an impact on Afghanistan. We must deal with people that under normal circumstances we try our best to avoid, and we are making compromises with people and situations that only heighten our sense of uncertainty and fear of failure.

Is there a way out .... I can only hope that when President Obama announces America's new strategy for Afghanistan in the next few weeks, an inkling on what are our goals and strategy will then be made more clearer.