I heard a talking-head tonight make the point that the Afghan leadership is corrupt, therefore we simply can’t win there, because what Afghans are going to support a corrupt leader? Good question, but the answer is “almost all of them.”
The world has about 200 nations; in well over 150 of them what we call corruption is a way of life; if you want something, you pay a bribe. Many judges are paid very little, knowing that they’ll do quite well via bribes–which are very acceptable in the culture. All of the Mideast falls into this corruption culture. So, as repulsive as it is to us, it’s no big deal to the Afghans.
By the way, that’s also the reason that the UN is totally corrupt.
