Corruption in Afghanistan

What is corruption? Dictionary.com has several definitions, but they all relate back to perversion of morality. In the case of Afghanistan, the governmental corruption is an issue of the government functioning for the advantage of its own members and colleagues in many instances rather than the good of its country’s people.

As reported by the New York Times in “Afghan corruption: Everything for sale”, the main issue driving the corruption here is money. Free passage through neighborhoods in Kabul, acquittal, governmental position--in fact, everything--is bought and sold for outrageous prices, whether outrageously high or outrageously low. Favoritism and backroom deals, particularly energized by loyalties and the opium trade, fuel almost every transaction in the streets, in the offices, and even in the government.

In a developing country like Afghanistan, the Times says, corruption is not unusual. But unfortunately for the welfare of the Afghan people, it has taken a complete hold all the way to the top—President Karzai openly admits the corruption within his own government, and, as is evident from the recent questions in the election fraud and bribes coming to his own family, is not immune to it himself. With a fairly weak government placed precariously on a toppled Taliban rule, lack of checks and balances leaves the doors wide open for bribery and hypocrisy. The Taliban, as well, with its ever-strengthening “shadow government”, pulls many of the strings related to the everyday life of the people.

Despite the United States’ efforts in Afghanistan, an outside force cannot eliminate corruption, even while working closely with the corrupt for change. Corruption is an internal issue at heart, and is, in fact, is an issue *of* the heart.

Afghan corruption: Everything for sale
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/02/world/asia/02iht-corrupt.1.19050534.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1