As predicted, the Afghan elections came and went as an event of little consequence as far as ballots go. In some areas no one voted. In others there has been ballot stuffing. Over 200 persons died in the process. The final results won’t be out for another week or two. There is no eager anticipation as the results don’t matter in a country under foreign occupation.
What is important is that a few Afghans got richer. Lots of money was poured into the pockets of the candidates and government officials. These are the people who after the American withdrawal will take refuge in Switzerland and suffer their exile in first class conditions.
In Afghanistan as in some other third world countries, a political career begins in Washington by making contact with the doers and shakers in such organizations like The American Enterprise Institute. The thinktankers decide ‘this is our boy who will promote American interests in his country.’ The lobbying process begins. Soon, this political careerist begins to feel the benefits of dollars in his pocket and starts spreading his wealth and buying supporters.
A career as an American ally is a dangerous one and is worth pursuing only when the rewards are adequate. If our ally manages to stay in power long enough, he will be labeled corrupt , and will lose his sponsors’ support.
President Obama has called the Afghan war a war of necessity. I’m sure he didn’t mean the need of rich Afghan politicians to become super rich and Swiss banks getting large amounts of cash as reasons for fighting the war. But, that is the result. It is also the result of Afghan elections.
