Gates warns US may have to bankroll Afghanistan for 20 years - Times Online: "The West may have to bankroll Afghanistan’s security for 20 more years, President Karzai warned yesterday, as Robert Gates, the US Defence Secretary, promised not to abandon the war-ravaged country.
Despite serious concerns over the credibility of Mr Karzai’s Government, particularly its ability to root out corruption, Mr Gates said on a visit to Kabul that America’s military withdrawal would be spread over several years.
Aid money, he added, could last for decades. Diplomats have warned that future financial support depends on Afghan efforts to purge government corruption."
