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US asks Karzai to fight graft or be sidelined

Al l’, Washington
The White House on Wednesday warned Afghan President Hamid Karzai to fight corruption or see Washington bypass his cabinet and seek out lower level officials to provide essential services toAfghans.
The wanting — coming a day after Obama said the US government would no longer give Afghanistan a "blank check" for US aid - - turned up the pressure on Karzai to end the corruption seen as fuelling the Taliban Insurgency.
White I louse spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters that Obama talked "about (Jie notion that it is time for a new chapter tn Afghan governance” in conversations with Karzai, including a secure videoconference late Monday.
When he unveiled his new Afghan strategy in a speech onTUesday, Obama made it clear he expected major changes from the
Karzai government's status quo, and out lined several steps he wanted them to lake.
Ilie days of providing a blank check are over, Obama said in the speech, noting that Karzai sent the "right message about movingin a new direction" when he was inaugurated last month as president for another term.
Atul going forward, we will be clear about what we expect from those who receive our assistance," Obama said.
"We'll support Afghan ministries, gover nors, and local leaders that combat corruption and deliver for the people. We expect those who arc ineffective or corrupt to be held accountable,* the president added.
"And we will also focus our assistance in areas - such as agriculture - - that can make an immediate impact in the lives of the Afghan people."
Gibbs on Wednesday took the warning a step further.
"If President Karzai is unable or unwilling to make changes in corruption or gover nance... we will identify people at a subcabinet level, at a district level that can implement the types of services and basic governance, without corruption, that Afghans need."
The White I louse spokesman said the Obama administration will also be watching whom Karzai chooses for his cabinet.
And he said Obama, in his speech, put forward a strong incentive" for the Karzai government to "get its act together" by highlighting July 2011, when US forces are now expected to transfer responsibility to the Afghans.
In her testimony Wednesday to the Senate Armed Services Committee, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the administration has "real concerns about the influence of corrupt officials in the Afghan government, and we will continue to pursue them."