Karzai is Pashto for Diem
By Larry Johnson on October 28, 2009 at 1:03 PM in Current Affairs
If you want a preview of coming events for Afghanistan I suggest you look to the past and the murder of South Vietnam’s President, Ngo Dinh Diem, in a U.S. backed coup:
On orders from U.S. President John F. Kennedy, Henry Cabot Lodge, the American ambassador to South Vietnam, refused to meet with Diệm. Upon hearing that a coup d’etat was being designed by ARVN generals led by General Dương Văn Minh, the United States gave secret assurances to the generals that the U.S. would not interfere. Dương Văn Minh and his co-conspirators overthrew the government on November 1, 1963.
The coup was very swift. On November 1, 1963, with only the palace guard remaining to defend President Diệm and his younger brother, Ngô Đình Nhu, the generals called the palace offering Diệm safe exile out of the country if he surrendered. However, that evening, Diệm and his entourage escaped via an underground passage to Cholon, where they were captured the following morning, November 2. The brothers were executed in the back of an armoured personnel carrier by Captain Nguyen Van Nhung while en route to the Vietnamese Joint General Staff headquarters.[60] Diệm was buried in an unmarked grave in a cemetery next to the house of the U.S. ambassador.[61]
The past is prologue. Today’s laughable NY Times story about Karzai’s brother being on “the CIA’s payroll” is a deliberate leak designed to weaken the current Afghan leader.
Here’s is the breathless NY Times piece:
Ahmed Wali Karzai, the brother of the Afghan president and a suspected player in the country’s booming illegal opium trade, gets regular payments from the Central Intelligence Agency, and has for much of the past eight years, according to current and former American officials.
The agency pays Mr. Karzai for a variety of services, including helping to recruit an Afghan paramilitary force that operates at the C.I.A.’s direction in and around the southern city of Kandahar, Mr. Karzai’s home.
The financial ties and close working relationship between the intelligence agency and Mr. Karzai raise significant questions about America’s war strategy, which is currently under review at the White House.
The ties to Mr. Karzai have created deep divisions within the Obama administration. The critics say the ties complicate America’s increasingly tense relationship with President Hamid Karzai, who has struggled to build sustained popularity among Afghans and has long been portrayed by the Taliban as an American puppet. The C.I.A.’s practices also suggest that the United States is not doing everything in its power to stamp out the lucrative Afghan drug trade, a major source of revenue for the Taliban.
This is misleading bullshit. Ahmed Wali Karzai is a drug trafficker and makes more money from his opium trade than the CIA is funneling into Afghanistan for all operations. The CIA “buying” Karzai? What a fucking joke!! That’s like claiming the CIA can buy Bill Gates by paying him $100,000 a month. Do you think you can buy Bill Gates for $1.2 million? No and hell no. Same applies to Karzai.
If you are surprised by the fact that the CIA is dealing with a drug trafficker who controls a key area of Afghanistan then you understand nothing about what it takes to work overseas in an environment like Afghanistan. I have no doubt that Karzai is using his relationship with the U.S. Government to enrich himself, but that is not what this story is about. Mother Teresa is not operating in Afghanistan. The Better Business Bureau does not have an approved list of Afghan power brokers we can turn to. Grow up America.
This leak to the NY Times is about sabotaging any ability of Karzai’s brother to remain as a functional leader of Afghanistan. The most likely culprit is the White House (Dennis McDonough on the National Security Council or one of his flunkies if I had to guess) and is being done explicitly to make it impossible for any politician to make the case for staying in Afghanistan. You can take that to the bank.
There is a way to deal with the tawdry activities of Ahmed Wali Karzai, but it needs to be done quietly, behind the scenes. But Barack and his team of children at the White House are hell bent on playing the domestic politics of this rather than work the problem in Afghanistan in an intelligent fashion. Today’s leak is bad for the CIA, bad for Afghanistan and bad for America.
(Release: November 13)
on sale for only $16.95.
has a spatula.)
8% Off at $11.95, with a rare five-star ranking by 294 customers: 
And check out these: 
("This crazy redhead is on to something. Her pink Rambler story alone is worth the price of the book," writes 
- “Richard Sale’s reportage on Washington, the CIA, the American armed forces, and foreign intrigue has created a perfect background for this account of the steady growth of President Clinton as a master of the game of nations.”--W. Patrick Lang, former head of Middle East Operations, DIA
"Anne C. Heller's stunning biography of Ayn Rand" uses a "plethora of newly unearthed research and fresh insight."
Wow, I rarely think of it like that but you just described how I WISH IT WOULD HAVE GONE DOWN in Iraq!
quietly behind the scenes coup
how many thousands of US soldiers would still be here ugh my head is throbbing! ok so we have to deal dirty with dirty dealers - makes sense
of course THIS new crop of crooks makes the OLD crop look like last weeks cabbage (speaking of America of course)
argh
O pledged more troops. Biden went to Afghanistan, the general gave him scare stories in order to pitch for the most new support. But Biden got scared, rather than offering 50% asked, he panicked. A. is not much worse today than last year, except when O shows weakness, the terrorists smell blood and turn up the volume. Like Bush’s first flinch at Falluja.
There are also other forces. With tight budgets there is pressure to take money for A. troops away from big ticket weapon system projects. Those money forces will push for Afghan pullout, using retired Generals as PR flacks.
Larry, this whole mess in Afghanistan is mindblowing and infuriating. I read an article last night by John Batchelor entitled the “Long, Long Goodbye,” regarding Obama’s blame shifting, indecision and his take is that this is absolutely deliberate on the part of the Administration. His intro paragraph:
“Afghanistan and the long delay of decision-making at the White House has come to suit the Obama administration because the risk is much greater to decide than not to decide. This is POTUS and his long, long goodbye to all that war-making and overcooked democracy-building by the Bush administration.”
Meanwhile, our guys are sitting there while the WH crew sits on their thumbs.
Disgusting!
I don’t thnk we should Carpe this Diem
Here we go again. Didn’t we learn anything from Viet Nam? We are suppopsed to be there (Afghanistan) to fight Al Qeida, to prevent the spread of terrorism, and what do we get? Another clown that thinks he knows how that country should be run and who should run it! It’s called internal domestic interfence which is illegal for a US gov to be involved in.
I suggest that he concentrate on getting rid of the corruption in his own party before he tries to ELIMINATE corruption in Afghanistan.
As for the CIA setting up coup’s, maybe they will arrange one here.
AMEN!
CAROL HAKA
I feel so naive. I would never have considered the story about Karzai’s brother as part of a larger scheme. Jeez. Larry, please go a step or two further and give your perspective of whether this means the U.S. leaves Afghanistan totally or if they just won’t send more troops. Also, will McChrystal then resign? If we don’t take everyone out, doesn’t that doom those who are there now? Do members of the GOP recognize the same thing? I’m surprised that they aren’t raising hell about this possibility and preempting PresO.
I was 12 back in ‘63 but I remember Madame Nhu making a speech (speeches?) about this and she was not believed as I recall. Well, we were all in love with our young president and his family back then. In those days, it was hard for us to believe our president would sit by and do nothing while a coup was set in motion. And Madame Nhu herself was a controversial figure. How naive we were then. How naive we are now.
Such a good column today, Larry, thanks!
We are in a nation where most citizens are not interested in our history at home and abroad … and where “history” is being revised and scrubbed even as we contemplate this blast from the past that illuminates the present day. I grew up thinking that history was something you could access and learn from … you could hold it in your hand like a book and examine it … Now “history” seems to be running through our hands, like sand.
It would be great to see us work the problem in Afghanistan and follow through in an intelligent fashion as your words say, Larry. How long has it been since we attacked a problem in that fashion? There’s nothing glamorous about that kind of work, but it has real worth.
Right now, the White House is writing the script for its definitive movie on how they make the right decisions.
As a related note, I read the Sunday “Parade Magazine” p.r. piece on Hillary (a day with the SOS) and was struck by three things buried in that “article” — how tight the controls are from the WH regarding foreign polity … how “frustrated” Hillary is with Afghanistan … how “tired” she is. Such a well-placed article for the “average American” to read with his/her Sunday paper. It almost seemed like a table of some sort was being set.
Very, very sad times.
Yes, Madame Nhu was a bit like Madame Mao.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madame_Ngo_Dinh_Nhu
That was a real can of worms with two religions thrown in.
Afghanistan seems relatively more understandable.
Obama is a coward.
A liar.
A traitor to our men and women who protect this country here and abroad.
I knew he would pull something like this.
He used his State Sponsored media, the NYT to do it.
Could you destroy the morale of our soldiers in Afghanistan any more than this?
Obama, you are a bastard.
NoQuarter blog — better than any newspaper — fearless and peerless!
• more stories you can’t find in the msm
• intelligent, smart writing and thoughtful analysis
• passionate authors and opinions that make you think!
Thank you, Larry and NQ staff!
I’m wondering if the growing anger of the Pakistani population over domestic terrorism might be taking our military stragegy in a new direction.
The Obama administration is faulted for delay, but the entire landscape of the conflict could be shifting.
Good post. Annoying to see history repeat itself (to the negative) over and over.
What we are doing to our troops in theater—both A. Iraq and I’m sure P is far worse than what was done to our troops in Viet Nam. The Viet Nam troops were vilified, spit on by civilians—but they were not abandoned in theater by there own government.
Obama should be impeached for what he is doing. This is not deliberate, thoughtful, decision making; this is treason. This is putting our troops in harms way and then abandoning them; this is what Obama did to those poor families in Chicago in Rezko housing projects.
But it’s worse than Chicago slum lording.
This BOT team is a bunch of bumbling morons. Playing politics while our soldiers lives are lost.
There must be a special hell for all these fucking assholes.
What, exactly, is the obviously correct decision about Afghanistan that President Obama already should have made?
It certainly isn’t as clear to me as it seems to be to you.
It’s clear to me that you have no skin in the game. I do and I am pissed at this wishy-washy, hand-wringing spineless slacker in the WH who spends more time yapping than actually doing. His inability to make a decision is putting our military preparedness at risk as well as our soldiers.
The answer to your question is that he should send the requested soldiers, like yesterday. And McChrystal’s plan is a sound one. But I’m sure you could come up with one better since you’re such an expert on everything. In fact, I think you should volunteer, don a uniform, and show them how it’s done. You could do something of value for your country for a switch and we could be spared your gibberish.
I did a three year enlistment with a year in ‘Nam, so I’m way too old for another uniform.
There were lots of sound plans back then, too. I forget which one I was part of. I do suspect Iraq and Afghanistan have had great effect on our overall preparedness. That’s probably part of the deliberation. I’ll have an opinion about the decision once I know what it is. I don’t begrudge time spent thinking about it, because the consequences could be enormous. Nothing about it is obvious or easy.
You forget which one you were a part of?
You never served or were in Vietnam. I haven’t met a Vietnam Vet who doesn’t know the time, place and the mission they were on.
You are a LIAR.
And if you want to learn about Afghanistan, read a book or Michael Yon’s reports.
Other than that, shut the fuck up.
I’m generally polite and try not to make exceptions even when insulted by the clueless. It’s an ability that a lot of vets of that era developed. Generally I haven’t had to call on it all that much in recent years.
I spent a year in the Khanh Hoa Province, generally in the vicinity of Nha Trang. I remember the area, my group, my battalion, my company, and my buddies perfectly well–which has nothing whatsoever to do with what I was getting at when I said I couldn’t remember “the plan”. I was 19 when I arrived in-country, 20 when I finally boarded a ride home at Long Binh, am now nearly 60, and sometimes find myself wondering what the hell ever happened to common courtesy between strangers.
“I don’t begrudge time spent thinking about it…”
No, but you are taking the WH statements at face value. I don’t.
The President proclaimed a “war of necessity.”
Was he talking out his hat?
“I don’t begrudge time spent thinking about it…”
No, but you are taking the WH statements at face value. I don’t.
The President proclaimed a “war of necessity.” Was he talking out his hat? Rahm says the mission depends on a “stable partner.” I thought the mission was to build a stable partner. And why did the WH humiliate McChrystal?
Similarly, the NYT does not deserve to be taken at face value.
As I understand it, builing a “stable partner” was and is the central idea. The problem being that the government in Kabul is providing less toward stability in the contested provincial areas than the F-ing Taliban. Our main buddy is a guy with one arm around an evil militia leader and the other around a warlord/heroin trafficker. The government beneath them is a hierarchy of corruption.
Then there’s Pakistan, where the real danger lies, with another untrustworthy goverment running the show and playing both sides.
I don’t think humiliating McChrystal is actually anyone’s intention.
Oh, and Larry, I love your Better Business Bureau line.
Why are Westerners so stupid to think that dealing with these tribal, feudal, 7th century people is like making a deal over lunch at the Cheesecake Factory?
Get real.
Here’s a feminist’s view on Afghanistan, and she lived
there.
http://www.rights.no/publisher/publisher.asp?id=59&tekstid=2893
Wow, Tammy! Thank you for that link! What an amazing article!
I was taken by her line of describing her life to her friends:
You mean there’s an upside?
Apparently Limbaugh picked up your story this afternoon, or had exactly the same thought on the matter. Great article.
No this is not Mother Teresa territory. But am I shocked that the CIA is supporting a drug trafficker? No I’m not. Is he the first and only? No he’s not. Let’s just say in my former profession there’s nothing the government does that surprises me.
That said, our government needs to make a decision. Stay and support the troops or go and let the locals fight it out.
…news…adopting the McChrystal Light plan? Oy vey! Just too cheesey.
Why is Maj. Gen. Michael T.Flynn is the ONLY named source in this article?
I am not surprised by the content of the article. The United States delt with the Northern Alliance and Ahmed Shah Massoud made money off the Opium trade as well, according to what I have read.
An article from the Toledo Blade 1979.
Not much has changed
What does peek my interest in the NYT story that is the lack of a “unity of purpose” and the apparent very deep divisions in the BO administration which is leading to “folks” deciding to shape the agenda via leaks.
It is not as if the Afghan people are not aware of the corruption, they live with it day in and day out.
There is another shoe to drop very soon and think this is a setup for it.
Larry, I heard a telephone interview with an author, Robert Young Pellon, on Shepherd Smith.
You are probably familiar with his work.
He was diplomatic in his comments, but he seemed to share the dire assessments of others about the situation in Afghanistan.
With New York and D.C., the sites of the terrorists attacks, having a majority of democrats, there may be consensus to phase out both wars as quickly as possible.
I am very concerned about our military families who have endured so much, and it is not over for them yet!