WOW! This is a huge event and it could shake up all of the cunning plans currently underway in Afghanistan by all concerned parties. Ahmed Wali Karzai (AWK) was the main power broker in southern Afghanistan and deeply involved with the Afghan government as well as the drug trade and all manner of other criminal enterprises.
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan (AP) — President Hamid Karzai’s half brother, the most powerful man in southern Afghanistan and a lightning rod for criticism of corruption in the government, was assassinated Tuesday by a close associate. His death leaves a dangerous power vacuum in the south just as the government has begun peace talks with insurgents ahead of a U.S. withdrawal…..Wali Karzai, who was in his 50s and had survived several previous assassination attempts, was seen by many as a political liability for the Karzai government after a series of allegations, including that he was on the CIA payroll and involved in drug trafficking. He denied the charges. The president repeatedly challenged his accusers to show him evidence of his sibling’s wrongdoing, but said nobody ever could.
To say that someone was the most corrupt individual in Afghanistan is a bold statement, but if anyone deserved the title it was probably AWK. He had his finger in every pot of money going any direction and sent it out of the country in planeloads. He was paid by us for sure and for a long time, but the loyalty that bought could be measured in microns. He routinely played both (or more) ends against the middle and even while getting paid to safeguard our convoys coming into the country was cashing in as they were hijacked or simply took his “fair share” of whatever came in. His nickname of the Prince of Kandahar showed just how much the current regime runs the country as if it was their divine birthright.
He was so deeply involved in the drug trade that it is comical to hear it denied. His control was so solid that he would use US bought Ford Ranger pickups to transport the drugs out of the country. He was a shameless and blatant criminal who exemplifies the problem of trying to create any form of believable governance. As the President’s brother he was untouchable and took full advantage of that. Anyone who thinks that our good friend in the cool hat and the nicely-trimmed beard sitting in the Presidential palace wasn’t benefiting from all of this is a fool.That is why it is so cute to hear President Karzai challenge folks to present evidence against his brother. Talk about siging your own death warrant
So no tears should flow for the well-deserved end of a treacherous bastard, but it would be a good time to take stock of the implications this has for Barry O and his team of political tools. We have no real partners for any peace deserving of the name. They have been planning to cut and run since long before he was handed the keys to our war machine. He talked a lot of smack when he was running for office and then he threw a few more of our troops in the shredder gas tank so he could say he delivered on his lies campaign promises. But I don’t believe he ever had any intention of trying to win, and so he has the lives lost in an effort he personally undermined on his conscience. Now he is back to the only job he really enjoys and has any skills for, telling the American people whatever he thinks will get them to vote for him.
Afghanistan was a soup sandwich before we got there and will be one after we leave. There was never any will in this administration to do anything but posturing and that is a disgrace. The honest thing would have been to tell the American public that Afghanistan was a lost cause if he believed it and had no intention of acting otherwise. Instead he used our sons and daughters as pawns in his ongoing and never-ending, self-love fest. I cannot see any reason for us to continue to sacrifice the lives of our troops in an effort that our Commander in Chief does not believe in. It is time to go.
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