"The Afghan chieftain looked older than his 60-odd years, and his bearded face bore the creases of a man burdened with duties as tribal patriarch and husband to four younger women. His visitor, a CIA officer, saw an opportunity, and reached into his bag for a small gift."
CIA Using Viagra To Help Build Alliances In Afghanistan
Washington Post | Joby Warrick | December 25, 2008 10:44 PM
Rather than torture, against Geneva Convention rules, Viagra given to the warlords in Afghanistan was most welcomed. One warlord, with four wives, came back for more Viagra in exchange for troop information. Since our present leaders have little creativity and historic results hold no guide, they preferred the illegal torture.
"The Afghan chieftain looked older than his 60-odd years, and his bearded face bore the creases of a man burdened with duties as tribal patriarch and husband to four younger women. His visitor, a CIA officer, saw an opportunity, and reached into his bag for a small gift.
Four blue pills. Viagra.
"Take one of these. You'll love it," the officer said. Compliments of Uncle Sam."
Another article by Ed Brayton:
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Bribing Warlords with Viagra
Category: Politics
Posted on: December 28, 2008 9:09 AM, by Ed Brayton
The CIA is pulling out all the stops to get Afghan warlords on our side in the fight against the Taliban, including giving them viagra.
Paying for information is nothing new for the Central Intelligence Agency, but officers have started employing unusual incentives to persuade Afghan local leaders to share intelligence about the Taliban's movements, the Post wrote, citing unnamed sources in the spy service.
"Whatever it takes to make friends and influence people -- whether it's building a school or handing out Viagra," one CIA operative who has worked in Afghanistan was quoted as saying.
And it seems to be working:
CIA agents have offered pocket knives and tools, toys and school equipment, travel visas, medical services including surgeries and sometimes the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra for Afghan chieftains, the paper said.
The aging chieftains often have up to four wives and are open to the Viagra pill as a way to "put them back in an authoritative position," said another official.
More customary bribes such as cash and weapons can create problems, because guns fan fall into the wrong hands and a sudden influx of cash can draw too much attention, agents told the paper.
Four Viagra pills transformed the attitude of one influential 60-year-old warlord who had been wary of the United States.
"He came up to us beaming," one official told the Post.
"And after that we could do whatever we wanted in his area."
What happens when you give Viagra to a warlord? He gets taller.
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