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KABUL (AP) - The United States has issued a clear warning to Afghanistan's president that he must fight corruption, or may not get significantly more U.S. troops. But the Obama administration has a weak hand as it seeks to play tough — with few other options if President Hamid Karzai refuses to go along.
A series of leaks Wednesday in Washington, expressing strong misgivings about Karzai, were a clear and public demand that the Afghan president must begin cleaning up his government before the U.S. will commit to bolstering the American troop presence.
So far, however, Karzai has shown little political will to crack down on corruption, despite public statements that he intends to rid his new administration of abuses. He was re-elected this month to a second five-year term after a fraud-marred election.
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