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SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS
COMMITTEE.
THANKS VERY MUCH FOR COMING IN.
>> WOLF, ALWAYS GOOD TO BE WITH
YOU.
>> THE LAST TIME YOU AND I
SPOKE, YOU WERE PRETTY OUTRAGED
ABOUT THESE REPORTS THAT THE CIA
OVER THE YEARS HAVE BEEN
PROVIDING BUNDLES, BAGS FULL OF
CASH, MILLIONS AND MILLIONS TO
HAMID KARZAI THE AFGHAN LEADER
SO HE COULD DISTRIBUTE THAT
MONEY, DO WITH IT WHAT HE WANTS.
YOU WANTED AN EXPLANATION FROM
THE PRESIDENT.
YOU WROTE TO HIM.
YOU GOT NO EXPLANATION.
ON TUESDAY YOU WROTE ANOTHER LET
CENTER SAYING THESE SECRET
PAYMENTS LACK ANY KIND OF
ACCOUNTABILITY, ENCOURAGE THE
KIND OF CORRUPTION WE'RE TRYING
TO PREVENT IN AFGHANISTAN AND
FURTHER UNDERMINE U.S.
TAXPAYERS' CONFIDENCE IN OUR
GOVERNMENT.
SINCE MY ORIGINAL LETTER
PRESIDENT KARZAI HAS CLAIMED
THAT THE HE WAS ASSURED THE
PAYMENTS WILL CONTINUE.
HAVE YOU RECEIVED ANY REACTION,
ANY WORD YET FROM THE
ADMINISTRATION ABOUT THESE
BUNDLES OF CASH?
>> WELL, WOLF, TWO DAYS AGO WE
GOT WORD FROM THE
ADMINISTRATION.
I'M THE RANKING MEMBER ON
FOREIGN RELATIONS AND ONE OF THE
MISSIONS OF THE STATE DEPARTMENT
THAT WE OVERSEE IS TO TRY TO
CREATE THE RULE OF LAW AND
CERTAINLY TO FIGHT CORRUPTION
WHERE THE COUNTRIES WE WORK
WITH.
I WAS TOLD THAT THIS REALLY WAS
NOT MY BUSINESS, THAT THIS WAS
NOT IN OUR JURISDICTION.
OF COURSE, I THINK IT'S IN ALL
OF OUR JURISDICTION.
BUT SINCE THAT TIME I THINK IT'S
MY UNDERSTANDING THEY DECIDED
MAYBE THAT WASN'T A GOOD
RESPONSE AND THEY'RE DEVELOPING
SOMETHING AND ARE GOING TO SEND
IT BACK.
AGAIN, WOLF, AFGHANISTAN IS A
COUNTRY THAT'S JUST ROUTE WITH
CORRUPTION.
THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN --
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE AFGHAN
ADMINISTRATION, HAS HAD
TREMENDOUS ISSUES WITH
CORRUPTION.
IT'S MY UNDERSTANDING THAT NOT
ONLY ARE THE CASH PAYMENTS GOING
TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE
COUNTRY -- THIS IS A
DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED PRESIDENT
THAT WE DEAL WITH AND SEND
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN MONEY,
BUT ON TOP OF THAT, THE FACT
WE'RE TAKING SUITCASES FULL OF
CASH AND GIVING IT TO THIS
DEMOCRATICALLY ELECTED LEADER
AND POSSIBLY TO RELATIVES IN
OTHER PART OF THE COUNTRY, TO ME
THAT IS TOTALLY THE ANTITHESIS
OF WHAT THIS COUNTRY REPRESENTS.
I UNDERSTAND SOMETIMES WHEN YOU
GO INTO NEW COUNTRIES LIKE WHAT
WE'RE DOING IN SYRIA.
I UNDERSTAND THERE MAY BE ROUTES
THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE.
THIS IS A VERY DIFFERENT
SITUATION AND SOMETHING THAT TO
ME FLIES IN THE FACE OF OUR
SENSIBILITIES IN THIS NATION,
AND I DO WANT A RESPONSE.
IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME NOW.
THIS COUNTRY IS GETTING READY TO
GO THROUGH ANOTHER ELECTION IN
THE NEXT YEAR OR SO, AND TO ME
THIS IS NOT THE WAY WE NEED TO
BE DEALING WITH THE COUNTRY.
I THOUGHT JOHN McCAIN BROUGHT UP
A GREAT POINT YESTERDAY AFTER I
QUESTIONED THE UNDERSECRETARY,
AND THAT IS, WHAT IF OTHER
COUNTRIES WERE DOING THIS?
IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE NEW RUSSIA
OR IRAN OR SOME OTHER COUNTRY
WAS DELIVERING SUITCASES FULL OF
CASH TO THE AFGHAN PRESIDENT,
HOW WOULD WE VIEW THAT?
I DON'T KNOW WHY WE'RE DOING
THIS.
I WANT AN EXPLANATION.