U.S. watchdog: Afghan gov't weakened ahead of Taliban talks

Associated Press|
A U.S. watchdog warned that "systemic" corruption within the Afghan government is weakening its bargaining position in upcoming peace negotiations with the Taliban, even as the insurgents said Thursday they were ready and had compiled their agenda for the long-awaited talks.
John Sopko, Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction, said the Taliban and other militants underscored the government's corruption, using it to "undermine public support for the government, garner recruits to their cause, and weaken the government's bargaining position during future peace negotiations."
"It is the most insidious threat the Afghan government faces because it saps the support of citizens who are trying to go about their daily work, feed their families, and live free of fear and intimidation," Sopko told a monitoring group known as Integrity Watch Afghanistan on Wednesday.
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