Millions of US tax-dollars are being funnelled into Afghan private security forces, who, in turn, use the money to bribe the Taliban commanders. The Taliban and the security forces then stage fake battles to make it look like the money needs to continue flowing. But don't worry: now that President Karzai's stolen the election, his brother is going to take over all the private forces and amalgamate them under his control, so they're bound to get a lot less corrupt.
Although the investigation is not complete, the officials suspect that at least some of these security companies — many of which have ties to top Afghan officials — are using American money to bribe the Taliban. The officials suspect that the security companies may also engage in fake fighting to increase the sense of risk on the roads, and that they may sometimes stage attacks against competitors.
Convoy Guards in Afghanistan Face an Inquiry
(via Jon Taplin)
