As Afghan army gets cash to buy its own supplies, some worry about corruption

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http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2013/02/15/183285/as-afghan-army-gets-cash-to-buy.html



Afghan army recruits use old helmets until they are assigned to a unit, at which time they are equipped with the same helmets and body army US soldiers are issued

As Afghan army gets cash to buy its own supplies, some worry about corruption
By Jay Price | McClatchy Newspapers
Posted on Friday, February 15, 2013

KABUL, Afghanistan — The Afghan army is one of the least corrupt parts of a society where more than two-thirds of the citizens think it’s fine for bureaucrats to take bribes. Now that reputation is getting its biggest test: access to more money. Billions of dollars more.

For most of the war, equipment and supplies for the Afghans have been supplied primarily by the foreign militaries operating here. But as the United States and NATO fulfill a vow to withdraw the vast majority of their troops by the end of 2014, Afghan security officials will be expected to do their own purchasing, giving them more opportunities for the kind of bribery and embezzlement that perpetually has Afghanistan ranked among the worst two or three nations on Earth for corruption..

"It is a delicate moment, because if there is a high level of corruption in the military it means that institution will not work, because it will lose the confidence of the people," said Yama Torabi, the director of Integrity Watch Afghanistan, an Afghan group that monitors corruption. "It means, basically, the beginning of collapse of the army."

With the country consumed with anxiety about next year, which features a pivotal presidential election and the complete handover of security to Afghan forces, it’s crucial that the military’s reputation remains sturdy, he said.