Clinton: Some Afghan Ministries ‘We’re Not Gonna Touch’

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton confirmed, largely, what I heard earlier: as part of President Obama’s decision to scale back its more ambitious “nation-building” goals, the United States is going to withhold support for some Afghan ministries.

Clinton said in testimony before Senate Armed Services Committee that intelligence-sharing was accelerating throughout the government about Afghan “corruption and major crime.” And then came something new. “We are certifying Afghan ministries,” she said. “There will be some that we believe are functioning well enough now that we can with confidence provide funding, holding their leadership accountable. And there are others, frankly, that we’re not gonna touch. Until they’re cleaned out, they’re not getting any United States civilian assistance.” She did not specify which ministries she meant.