An Afghan boy prepares a banner of Afghan president-elect, Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, next to a banner of outgoing President Hamid Karzai in Kabul (Associated Press))
Afghan President-elect Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai began spending tens of thousands of dollars on lobbyists in the United States months ago.
Ghani Ahmadzai's campaign has hired three different Washington public relations and lobbying firms since May. Required Justice Department filings say that, at times, his campaign has spent $180,000 a month to reach out to media, members of Congress and Obama administration officials.
On Sunday, Ghani Ahmadzai was declared the winner of the election, which was mired in allegations of fraud. He succeeds President Hamid Karzai.
Unlike Karzai, Ghani Ahmadzai says he'll sign a security agreement with the U.S., setting the parameters for 9,800 U.S. troops to stay in Afghanistan after 2014.