It was the weight of endemic corruption,” former US ambassador Ryan Crocker told the authors of the report. Leaked Afghanistan files reveal corruption and drug-dealing Read moreAnother source of corruption is the illegal drugs trade, which grew seven-fold from 2002 to 2014. The report – which is the first of several upcoming summaries of “lessons learned” – comes at a time of intense fighting across Afghanistan. There is a direct link between US funds feeding corruption and the erosion of security, said Toofan Waziri, a security analyst. Cash-strapped soldiers, whose salaries are paid late if at all, are also selling fuel and ammunition to the Taliban, Waziri said.

Source: The Guardian September 14, 2016 14:02 UTC