Karzai Responds To Corruption Allegations (VIDEO)

In an interview due to be broadcast tonight on The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Margaret Warner talks exclusively to Afghan President Hamid Karzai about corruption, international pressure, and his own competency in government.

Karzai responds to a number of criticisms of his government, most notably the allegations of corruption that have plagued his administration. Below is a transcript of part of the interview:

MARGARET WARNER: You said in your acceptance speech last week that your government had been seriously undermined by corruption. What do you mean by that? What does this corruption consist of?

HAMID KARZAI: Well, when we say corruption, it means the usual corruption in any government, especially in a third world country like Afghanistan, with years of breakdowns and lack of governance, lack of institutions and lack of capacity. Certain laws and procedures and management style that causes corruption, that delays work that causes corruption.

MARGARET WARNER: Do you mean you have to pay for government services?

HAMID KARZAI: Exactly.

MARGARET WARNER: Under the table?

HAMID KARZAI: Under the table. And then we also mean corruption of a different kind which is a lot more serious, which is new to Afghanistan, which is with the arrival of a lot of money to Afghanistan, with the contractual mechanisms, the contracts that go from one to second to third to fourth, the lack of transparency in the award of contracts, the serious corruption in implementing projects, in buying bad quality material, a project that costs $10 million actually receives $3 million or $4 million or even less than that. For that sort of corruption, it's the international community also that shares responsibility with us, and that's what I hope we can correct together.

Karzai goes onto talk defensively of corruption at high levels of government, arguing that his government has already removed corrupt members.

When pushed about whether he will continue to force out corrupt officials, he responds, "We have and we will."

For the full transcript of the interview, please visit The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer.

Get HuffPost World On Facebook and Twitter!

Comments

[hsr0601]

From My Viewpoint, America Needs To Pursue Peace Deals With the Taliban.

[philoffal]

Video: Ex-UK ambassador explains Karzai and his ministers control most of the illegal drug trade

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNYES8KOIqY

[holeybuybull]

The headline should be "US Successfully Exports Western Democracy to Afghanistan".

[Albert Amato]

Show me a nations government that has no corruption.

[oamir1]

If Mr. Karzai wants to end corruption, he would have removed his brothers from the power. One of his brothers is responsible for contracts awards. He has become the riches man in Afghanistan (and possibly in the region) in the past few years. Karzai does not have capacity to be leader. He needs to be removed and prosecuted for crimes against the Afghan people.

[rissole]

Tell me Mr. Karzai, are you going to put your brother in jail? That would be a good test to see how sincere you are.

[FHTB]

Karzai is talking out of his a-hole...l­et's stop propping him up and get the h-ll out...no troop escalation, no more money down this rathole any longer...w­e're out!

[psychodog]

I agree completely.

This fiasco of an election in Afghanistan just proved that their government is corrupt to the core, and doesn't have the confidence of the people.

It's time to get out.

[MinerSam]

To the Editors:

What happend to my Fact detailed Remarks Please?

[MinerSam]

Bravo to Margerette Warner who is clearly among the best if not the best (and possibly one of the ONLY) Real Journalists we have.

That said, when it comes to such things as Legislative issues, like Healthcare or Energy on the Newshour, its GOP-POV all the time along with endless SINS OF OMISSIONS. The two responsible for this are Kuami Holman and Betty Ann Bowser. And one wonderds if new sponsors like Monsanto or oil companies have corrupted them.

As for Karazi, what he said that is not written above is that, at times, alegations of corruption come in the form of rumors. And that when real evidence is presented people are taken out. I like that he is Fact based. And having spent time in Afghanistan when women were STILL teachers and doctors
and having either been closely involved in the well being of the Afghani people or followed events since the early 70s (along with being Media Trained) I never believe the Talking Head CASCADE OF ERONEOUSNESS creating mistrust of Karazi.

He is a Pashtoon who loves his country who had to ENDURE 8 years of Republican Benign neglect ....The same ones who dropped Afghanistan like a Jon dismounting a whore (i.e. the Other Bush)

[FHTB]

There is very little reason at this late date to imagine Karzai is something he is most definitely not: HONEST.

[billhodges]

If he admits the corruption then lets see him attack it including his brother's connections to the drug lords in Afghanistan.

[FHTB]

Very true, but I think Hamid is only interested in giving Obama, Gordon Brown and the rest of the West, including Margaret here, lip service.

[psychodog]

Hey, we found a topic we agree on Bill. ;)

What you said, x2.

And, fanned!

[OneTop]

Sounds more like a Comedy Central piece than PBS