Karzai’s Brother to Stay in Power Despite Heroin Trade Claims
Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s troubled half brother Wali will remain in power as the head of the Kandahar Province council despite US and NATO calls for his removal over persistent corruption and alleged involvement in the drug trade. Pentagon planners had warned that Wali Karzai’s position was a “challenge” for the NATO invasion of Kandahar Province, scheduled to begin in June. They concede that his information network could be extremely useful in the invasion, but his reputation for corruption could seriously harm the attempts to win the “hearts and minds” of the population. AWIP: U.S. & NATO Are Supporting Afghan Drug Industry.