Corker to President Obama: Secret U.S. Cash Payments to Karzai Lack Accountability, Promote Corruption, and Break Trust with Taxpayers

In a letter to President Obama today, U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, requested an explanation regarding recent reports alleging the U.S. has made millions of dollars in secret cash payments to Afghan President Hamid Karzai over the past decade.

“Our support for the Karzai administration should have evolved long ago into regular and more sustainable efforts that are fully coordinated across the government and are calibrated to ensure collaboration with U.S. policies. The alleged arrangements make accountability impossible and promote corruption at the top levels of the Afghan government, as well as break trust with the American taxpayer,” said Corker. “Please provide an explanation, with a classified annex if necessary, for how this alleged policy fits within overall U.S. objectives in Afghanistan.”

A complete copy of the letter is included below and in the attached document.

Dear Mr. President,

Recent news reports of years of large cash payments to President Karzai, if accurate, indicate an incoherent U.S. policy toward Afghanistan.

Our support for the Karzai administration should have evolved long ago into regular and more sustainable efforts that are fully coordinated across the government and are calibrated to ensure collaboration with U.S. policies. The alleged arrangements make accountability impossible and promote corruption at the top levels of the Afghan government, as well as break trust with the American taxpayer.

Please provide an explanation, with a classified annex if necessary, for how this alleged policy fits within overall U.S. objectives in Afghanistan.

Sincerely,

Bob Corker