US to tighten control of Afghan contracts
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The United States must tighten control of Afghan development contracts as a first step toward stemming rampant corruption, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Friday.
A central question as President Barack Obama debates sending up to 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan is whether the Afghan government can become a more credible partner in the war by tackling corruption undermining its legitimacy. "The reality is that the international presence in Afghanistan has provided a significant influx of assistance dollars in contracts," Gates said. (Reuters)
