Afghan President Hamid Karzai on Saturday denied the accusation that the CIA cash delivered each month to his office was used to buy the support of warlords who threaten to tip the country back into civil war.
A recent news report revealed that the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) had secretly handed over tens of millions of dollars to Karzai’s office over the last decade. The revelation provoked anger in both Washington and Kabul.
Recently, President Karzai said that the bundles of cash allegedly packed in suitcases, backpacks and plastic shopping bags were used for health care and scholarships and that full receipts are issued to the Americans.
“This money was not given to warlords,” the president told a press conference in Kabul.
“The major part of this money was spent on government employees such as our guards. It has been paid to individuals not movements,” he said.
The New York Times had alleged that some of funds were used to bribe warlords into supporting Karzai’s US-backed government as the international coalition tried to stabilise the country before NATO troops withdraw next year.
The warlords, who fought against both the Soviet occupation in the 1980s and Taliban regime, retain huge influence and many have close links to Karzai’s government that came to power after the Taliban were ousted in 2001.
With the NATO-led mission winding down after more than 11 years of fighting, the warlords look set to renew their battle for power in Afghanistan and the weak central government faces a tough challenge to impose stability.
Karzai, who is due to step down next year, declined to confirm how much his office received each month from the CIA and he repeated his earlier thanks to the US spy agency.
Karzai said he had with US officials and asked them not to halt the cash despite protests in Washington and criticism from Afghan opposition groups. “This financial assistance should continue, we thank them for it,” he said.
