U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02), a member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued the following statement in reaction to reports that President Hamid Karzai will limit the involvement of outside participants in the investigation of official corruption in Afghanistan. Larsen returned last week from traveling to Afghanistan as part of a bipartisan congressional delegation that met with U.S. troops, civilian leaders, and high-level officials from both the U.S. and Afghanistan including President Karzai.
"President Karzai's descision to refuse or limit international help in anti-corruption investigations is a mistake. This decision may undermine the work the international community is doing, in collaboration with the Afghan people, to ensure Afghan security and governance.
"This is a step in the wrong direction for the ongoing strategic relationship between the U.S. and Afghanistan. President Karzai must take a zero-tolerance stance against corruption to ensure the Taliban is the enemy and not a choice.
"As President Karzai moves forward with this strategy, he must show the international community that his approach will make progress eliminating corruption in Afghanistan."
Larsen recently returned from visiting Afghanistan and was impressed with the high level of morale within U.S. troops and U.S. civilians.
