Afghan leader accused of protecting drug trade
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Hamid Karzai has denied the allegations. (Reuters: Francois Lenoir )
Former United States counter-narcotics official Thomas Schweich has accused Afghan President Hamid Karzai of obstructing drug eradication efforts and protecting drug lords.
Mr Schweich says Mr Karzai seems to tolerate a certain level of corruption rather than lose power and that many of his supporters are financed by the drugs trade.
Mr Schweich, one of the state department's most senior counter-narcotics officials until June, said Mr Karzai was responsible for protecting drug lords for political reasons.
He said that while the US spends billions of dollars on infrastructure development and fights the Taliban, Mr Karzai's friends continue to get rich from the drugs trade.
"I think that he's part of the problem in the sense that he perceived that there are certain people he cannot crack down on," Mr Schweich said.
"[He perceives] that it's better to tolerate a certain level of corruption than take an aggressive stand and maybe lose power, that's my perception.
"I think that's particularly true at his base in Helmand in Kandahar. He seems more willing to allow aggressive counter-narcotic activities outside of his political base."
The comments, published on the New York Times website, prompted Mr Karzai to deny the allegations, saying his Government had reduced drug production in more than half of the country's provinces.
- BBC
