A top U.S. general appointed by President Barack Obama to train Afghan personnel has been accused of covering up corruption in Kabul to protect the president’s electoral chances.
[Republican Rep. Jason] Chaffetz is seeking a deeper Pentagon investigation of [Lt. General William] Caldwell, and demanding that [Defense Secretary Leon] Panetta dig into this "apparent atempt (sic) by senior U.S. military officials to delay the exposure of — or cover up — these atrocities for political reasons."
Caldwell allegedly stonewalled investigations into the misuse of $180 million in U.S. aid to Afghani military hospitals, as well as cronyism among the ranks, according to a former top aide. He cited his close relationship to Obama to defend the delays.
"How could we think to invite the DOD IG [the Pentagon inspector general] in during an election cycle?" Caldwell allegedly upbraided subordinate officers who favored an outside inquiry in fall 2010. Caldwell, supposedly in an "emotional" state, yelled, "You should know better!"
The accusations are laid out in a letter sent to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta by Rep. Jason Chaffetz, who calls the incident an apparent "cover up." The Wall Street Journal first reported the letter’s contents.
President Obama "calls me Bill," Caldwell allegedly bragged, according to the letter. The general supposedly didn’t want to spoil that first-name relationship with a messy inquiry into corruption and wrongdoing at Afghan hospitals.
Caldwell has not been formally charged with any wrongdoing, but that could change now that Chaffetz has moved the investigation from within the Pentagon to the halls of Congress.