Afghan leader: Corruption fight must include all

KABUL, Afghanistan – Afghanistan's president has called on both Afghan lawmakers and international allies to do more to stamp out the corruption that pervades the country's government.

President Hamid Karzai said in a Thursday speech to parliament that he is working to combat corruption, but that everyone in government needs to act together to end the bribery and kickbacks. He also says that the U.S. needs to stop giving contracts to firms operated by Afghan government officials.

Karzai has repeatedly promised to clean up corruption in his administration without much result. The speech comes ahead of an international conference in Tokyo next month in which donors are expected to pledge billions to Afghanistan.

Karzai told lawmakers that Afghans will only have themselves to blame if graft continues after 2014.