Political Realities Quotes
Some politicians tell their constituents that they compromise but not on principles. This is illusory and often disingenuous as well. In a democracy there are many sets of principles that conflict with others just as deeply and frequently held. Even many of the principles of the U. S. Constitution conflict with other constitutional principles. If politicians never compromised on principles and ideals, there would be no operational government unless it were a theocracy or a dictatorship where there were only one set of principles in the society. The more democratic a society is the more its politicians must compromise with their fundamental principles and ideals.
Karzai was totally corrupt and what was worse maintained his political power by allowing local Governors, mayors, warlords, police and judges to extort bribes for virtually all public services and in many cases extorting money from successful businessmen as well as even poor and middle class families. A large proportion of the money that America and its coalition allies were spending for economic development in Afghanistan was being siphoned out of the country by corrupt officials of the government. Karzai then was the beneficiary of the support of all these corrupt officials in rigging his reelection in what became an embarrassing farce for the coalition. There were others in the administration who believed that there might be enough persuasion to produce change in Karzai, and America and the Coalition had no other better option. Eikenberry not only predicted that there would be no change in the corruption levels, but that the average Afghan people would never really support and fight for the government which proved everyday to anyone who would look that the officials of the country were corrupt and had the support and green light from the President.
