US to tighten control of Afghan contracts:
The United States must tighten control of Afghan development contracts as a first step toward stemming rampant corruption, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Friday.
The main US foreign aid agency is preparing to switch from private security contractors in Afghanistan to Afghan government-provided security this month under a new policy mandated by Afghan President Hamid Karzai, raising concern in Washington that this could put US civilians at greater risk.