"Police were forced to steal for a living when their pay didn't arrive from Kabul, which hurt morale and fostered resentment among local Afghans, the commander said.

“They had to take bribes from the people, because they have to live,” Gen. Laroche said.

Kandahar Governor Asadullah Khalid announced last month that a basic patrolman's wages would be increased to $150 a month, up from $77, but many officers say they rarely see a fraction of that."
“We are happy about the Canadians' new plan, because I want my men trained and paid,” the police chief continued. “They will be controlled by the Canadians, trained by them and paid by them directly. It's a very good idea.”

This is one of the smartest moves that I've heard of in a long while. Bloody brilliant. Corruption is eliminated in one swoop.

However,the imperial system works on corruption, although they'll call it different names. All local appointees/elected leaders are usually corrupt. It seems to be the first prerequisite whether Latin America or the Middle East. Honest politicians have no chance as they are hard to bend. Read "Confessions of an Economic Hit Man" to get the picture.

So, great as this idea is in keeping the troops alive and well, with the police happier, I don't expect that it will last or spread. I'd love to be wrong on this as it is good enough and simple enough to bring down the stinking system.