
<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">It's often asked why we're doing so badly in the middle east (Iraq and Afghanistan).<div>Could it be because we had drunks in charge?</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; "><h5 class="details" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 18px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(170, 170, 170); overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; clear: both; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><a class="quiet" href="http://www.spokesman.com/2012/aug/23/" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: medium; outline-style: none; outline-color: invert; font-size: 18px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-weight: bold; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; cursor: pointer; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">August 23, 2012</a> in <a href="http://www.spokesman.com/city/" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: medium; outline-style: none; outline-color: invert; font-size: 18px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(38, 70, 93); font-weight: bold; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; cursor: pointer; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">City</a></h5><h1 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 28px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; clear: both; line-height: 1.2; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Former Afghanistan ambassador charged with DUI</h1><div class="details nested grid-4" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 3px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; float: left; display: inline; width: 300px; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(170, 170, 170); overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; font-weight: normal; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><strong style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 3px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; color: rgb(136, 136, 136); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><a rel="author" href="http://www.spokesman.com/staff/tom-clouse/" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: medium; outline-style: none; outline-color: invert; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; text-decoration: none; color: rgb(38, 70, 93); font-weight: bold; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; cursor: pointer; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Thomas Clouse</a> </strong>The Spokesman-Review</span></div><ul class="content-tools" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 7px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; line-height: 1; float: right; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><li class="tw-share" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; float: left; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "><iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" src="http://platform.twitter.com/widgets/tweet_button.1345016233.html#_=1345758584832&count=horizontal&id=twitter-widget-0&lang=en&original_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spokesman.com%2Fstories%2F2012%2Faug%2F23%2Fformer-afghanistan-ambassador-charged-dui%2F&size=m&text=Former%20Afghanistan%20ambassador%20charged%20with%20DUI%20-%20Spokesman.com%20-%20Aug.%2023%2C%202012&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.spokesman.com%2Fstories%2F2012%2Faug%2F23%2Fformer-afghanistan-ambassador-charged-dui%2F&via=spokesmanreview" class="twitter-share-button twitter-count-horizontal" title="Twitter Tweet Button" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; width: 107px; height: 20px; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; "></iframe><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(170, 170, 170); font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 21px; "><span style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 7px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-ima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 border-bottom-color: rgb(38, 70, 93); background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">(Full-size photo)</a></div></div><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, Ryan Crocker, has been charged with DUI and leaving the scene of a Spokane Valley accident.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">The 63-year-old retired diplomat is accused of colliding with a semi-truck at a busy intersection on Aug. 14, then driving away as a witness tailed him, authorities said. No injuries were reported in the 2:05 p.m. collision.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Crocker, a native of Spokane Valley tapped by two presidential administrations for his Middle East expertise, is scheduled to appear for a pre-trial conference on Sept. 12 before Spokane County District Court Judge Sara Derr.</p><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">He retired from the U.S. State Department last month, citing health reasons, and left Kabul at a period of transition as the United States prepares to withdraw most of its troops from the long-standing war by the end of 2014. He also had served as U.S. ambassador to Iraq under President Bush, and had overseen reconstruction of the wartorn nation.</p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; ">�Mr. Crocker decided he was going to turn eastbound onto Sprague and he turned directly into the path of the semi� causing a collision, Briggs said. �Mr. Crocker�s vehicle spun out. He fled the scene without stopping.�</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; ">A call to Crocker seeking comment was not immediately returned.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; ">A witness followed Crocker�s damaged Mustang until he stopped in the parking lot of the Washington Trust Bank located on Sullivan Road, about two miles away.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; "></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; ">�He was cited and released for DUI and hit and run,� Briggs said. The arrest occurred at 2:49 p.m.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">Last week, though, Crocker was in a 2009 convertible Ford Mustang traveling north on Pines Road, approaching the Sprague Avenue intersection. State Patrol Trooper Troy Briggs, a spokesman for the law enforcement agency, said Crocker was in the lefthand lane shortly after 2 p.m. with a semi-truck, which also was traveling northbound, off to his side in the righthand lane.</p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">His car suffered damage to the passenger side and when the trooper arrived, the right front tire was flat, Briggs said.</p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(17, 17, 17); font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px; "><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 21px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; outline-width: 0px; outline-style: initial; outline-color: initial; font-size: 14px; vertical-align: baseline; background-image: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; ">The investigation revealed that Crocker�s blood alcohol content was .16 percent and a second test registered .152 percent, Briggs said. The legal limit for intoxication is .08.</p></span></div></body></html>