How Iran Bought Influence In The Highest Offices Of Afghanistan

Photo: Abdullah Abdullah, the opposition leader in Afghanistan, says he will run again for the Afghan presidency in 2014. (J.M. Eddins Jr./The Washington Times)

Iran’s Cash For Karzai Buys Years Of Loyalty -- Washington Times

Opposition leader explains.

Iran began delivering money to Afghan President Hamid Karzai as early as 2003, a former Afghan official says.

“It started in a sort of transparent manner when I was the foreign minister,” Abdullah Abdullah, now Afghanistan’s top opposition leader, said in an interview with editors and reporters of The Washington Times.

“So it was during [Iranian] President [Mohammed] Khatami’s time, and President Khatami mentioned it to President Karzai, that ‘from my own office, I have a budget at my discretion. If you agree with it, I would like to give some money for your office.’ So it started that way.”

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My Comment: In the end .... after the West has spent hundred of billions and are long gone .... the Iranians with their investments of a few millions will have more sway and influence in Afghanistan than we will. Does this sense .... not even close.