Afghanistan: Press Karzai to Sever Links with Warlords

"The new if belated US and European focus on governance and the rule of law in Afghanistan is welcome," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "It shouldn't have taken a failed presidential election, rampant corruption, and deteriorating security to realize that this is important. Karzai and his international backers should realize that it's now or never to regain the trust of the Afghan people."

The Karzai government came to power after the defeat of the Taliban government in 2001. But over the past eight years, neither the US nor other donors and supporters have confronted the problem of warlordism and criminality permeating the current Afghan administration. Human Rights Watch called on the US and other nations engaged in Afghanistan to review all of their political and military relationships in Afghanistan to ensure that they are not providing financial or political support to individuals or groups known to be engaged in criminal activity or with a record of human rights abuse. This includes addressing Afghan perceptions of corruption in foreign aid programs, distancing all diplomatic and military personnel from criminal actors, and ending contracts with private security contractors and unregistered armed groups that are tied to criminal networks.

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