To the Point
The Run on Kabul Bank: Corruption and the Karzai Government
The run on Kabul Bank in Afghanistan raises a disturbing question: what if government corruption is more dangerous than the Taliban? Also, US Marines raid a hijacked ship off Somalia, and Koran burning and the media.
By Warren Olney • • 50m ListenThe run on Kabul Bank in Afghanistan raises a disturbing question: what if government corruption is more dangerous than the Taliban? Also, US Marines raid a hijacked ship off Somalia, and a small-time evangelical pastor becomes an international figure with a book-burning plan denounced all across the political and religious spectrum.
Banner image: Men stand before the main branch of the Kabul Bank on September 5, 2010. Branches of Afghanistan's biggest private bank were crowded with government employees queueing to be paid and customers wanting to withdraw their money following corruption allegations. Photo: Massoud Hossaini/AFP/Getty Images
In this episode
3 storiesMarines Raid Hijacked Ship off Somalia
In an incident that could have been scripted in Hollywood, US Marines today rescued the crew of a hijacked ship in the Gulf of Aden, sneaking along side in small boats, climbing aboard on ladders and arresting nine pirates from Somalia. Peter Chalk is a senior security analyst at the RAND Corporation .
Read the story8 minCorruption and Counterinsurgency in Afghanistan
After Somallia, Transparency International now ranks the government of Afghanistan as the most corrupt in the world. The latest evidence is the crisis involving Afghanistan's most important private financial institution.
Read the story38 minHow the Planned Koran Burning Caught Fire in the Media
The Vatican calls it "outrageous," Hillary Clinton " disgraceful ," Sarah Palin finds it an " unnecessary provocation ," and Muslims are demonstrating all over the world. How did a Florida pastor with a congregation of 50 people, create an international incident?
Read the story6 min
