“Afghan President Hamid Karzai is in Washington this week seeking another $33 billion to keep the war going and meeting with the White House to present his so-called “peace” proposal to allocate $160 million from international donors to fund new government bodies, pay off insurgents who agree to stop fighting and to undermine efforts to establish local governance.  

“Ranked the second most corrupt government in the world only behind Somalia, Mr. Karzai’s blatant government corruption, his ties to big oil and Afghanistan’s most notorious drug pushers--including his own brother--is no secret.  While he is being treated as royalty in Washington, millions of dollars shuffle through Kabul Airport unaccounted for and Mr. Karzai builds villas in Dubai. Meanwhile, I have constituents in Cleveland struggling to stay in their homes.  

“The longer this charade of nation building and counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan continues, the more U.S. soldiers and innocent Afghani civilians die.   

“He wants $33 billion for war to continue in Afghanistan. Here at home, Americans need jobs, access to education and health care.  Billions would be better spent rebuilding America than sending it to Afghanistan to continue a war. 

“Bring our troops home.  End the war.”