Another day, another report of millions of U.S. taxpayer dollars given to a foreign despot ("CIA paid millions to Afghan president," April 29), in this case so Hamid Karzai can spread the money around his so-called government (think organized-crime syndicate). Corruption starts at the top and "trickles down" to all levels of an organization built on contingent opportunity lubricated with cash.
Meanwhile, CIA-directed drone strikes terrorize the population, fundamentalist warlords terrorize women, and generations are sucked into revenge, violence and death. Our mercenary army, CIA operatives and well-paid consultants waste billions more in futile efforts to pacify the insurgency, train the corrupted police force and avoid IEDs.
Now imagine these same activities conducted on U.S. soil by a powerful foreign government. Idealism layered on insanity and covered with $100 bills taken from domestic education budgets, infrastructure repair and development, environmental protection and other essential programs. Heck of a deal …
