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Petraeus: Iranian Payments to Afghan Government 'Disingenuous'

   VOA News 29 October 2010
   US  Gen  David  Petraeus  appears  before the US Senate Armed Services
   Committee during his confirmation hearing to become the head of US and
   NATO forces in Afghanistan on Capitol Hill, 29 Jun 2010

Photo: AFP

   US  Gen  David  Petraeus  appears  before the US Senate Armed Services
   Committee (file photo)

   The  top  commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan says Iran's
   cash  payments to the Afghan government are "disingenuous," when it is
   also funding the Taliban.
   U.S.  General  David  Petraeus  told VOA's Persian News Network Friday
   that  Iran's  activities  are  conflicting,  providing  funding to the
   Afghan government, while on the other hand undermining that government
   by assisting those creating the country's security problems.
   General  Petraeus  said  Iran  has always had a conflicted approach to
   Afghanistan.  He  compared  the  situation  to Iran's efforts in Iraq,
   which he described as "lethal and destructive."
   On  Tuesday,  Iran  confirmed  that  it  has  sent money to the Afghan
   government   for   years,   saying  the  funds  are  intended  to  aid
   Afghanistan's reconstruction.
   Afghan  President  Hamid  Karzai  said Monday that his office received
   "bags  of  money"  from  Iran, which he described as no different from
   money received from other countries like the United States.
   General  Petraeus  said  President  Karzai  was  "forthright"  in  his
   statement  about  the  money  from Iran, and he described it as a very
   small amount compared to what the U.S. and other countries provide.

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