U.S. needs millions more to complete Afghanistan’s ‘Pentagon’

[jsr]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/us-needs-millions-more-to-complete-afghanistans-pentagon/2013/12/07/6d9314b6-5b62-11e3-801f-1f90bf692c9b_story.html

U.S. needs millions more to complete Afghanistan’s ‘Pentagon’
By Tim Craig, Updated: Sunday, December 8, 6:00 AM

KABUL — The Afghan “Pentagon” being built here is a sprawling symbol of U.S. generosity.

The American government has already spent about $107 million — double the initial estimate — on the five-story Defense Ministry headquarters, which will include state-of-the-art bunkers and the second-largest auditorium in Kabul.

But now, four years after the groundbreaking, construction crews have had to effectively halt their work. The reason: The U.S. government has run out of money for the project.

For years, audits and inspector-general reports have documented waste and mismanagement in American aid projects in Afghanistan. But the Defense Ministry building is a dramatic example of how poor oversight continues to plague the massive U.S. investment here.

[unhappycamper]

1. In other Afghanistan news today:

(AP Exclusive: Rough ride for US-Russia copter deal) http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_AFGHANISTAN_US_RUSSIA_COPTER_DEAL?SITE=VANOV&SECTION=BUSINESS&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
(Why Can't Karzai Be More Blase About US Killing Kids–Like US Press Is?) http://www.commondreams.org/view/2013/12/07-4
http://www.armytimes.com/article/20131207/NEWS08/312070007/Hagel-given-assurances-Afghan-security-deal
http://www.stripes.com/news/middle-east/manas-last-mission-figure-out-how-to-shut-down-1.256140
--> http://www.stripes.com/news/dod-to-shift-air-transit-from-manas-to-romania-1.247953

[Scootaloo]

2. So they'll have a huge military, but no infrastructure worth mention

Oh yeah. This sounds like a winning plan.

Just a thought... maybe get some people who AREN'T wrapped up in the MIC working on this whole "helping out the nation the MIC fucked up" thing? Could we get like, I dunno, some people from the Department of Agriculture out there? Granted the Soybean Lobby isn't all that great, but I think Afghans would rather eat edamame than bullets for a change.

[grahamhgreen]

3. Answer: no.