Auditors: Billions of U.S. aid flow into Afghan government coffers to be stolen

[jsr]

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/30/world/asia/report-says-afghanistan-cant-be-trusted-to-prevent-misuse-of-us-aid.html

U.S. Aid to Afghans Flows On Despite Warnings of Misuse
By MATTHEW ROSENBERG and AZAM AHMED | JAN. 30, 2014

KABUL, Afghanistan — With billions of dollars in American aid increasingly flowing straight into Afghan government coffers, the United States hired two global auditing firms three years ago to determine whether Afghanistan could be trusted to safeguard the money.

The findings were so dire that American officials fought to keep them private. But the money has continued to flow, despite warnings from the auditors that none of the 16 Afghan ministries could be counted on to keep the funds from being stolen or wasted.

The problems unearthed by the auditors are detailed in a report to be published Thursday by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, an American government watchdog. The findings raise new questions about the efficacy and wisdom of giving huge amounts of aid directly to a government known for corruption.

The inspector general’s report is likely to increase tensions with President Hamid Karzai, who has bristled for years at what he says is an orchestrated campaign by President Obama’s administration to undermine his government with embarrassing revelations and leaks.

[Lost_Count]

1. It's an entire culture based on corruption...

So all this deserves is a resounding "Duh..."

[CFLDem]

2. Yup

[Comrade Grumpy]

7. Are you talking about us or them?

This whole war has been a racket.

We're trashing $7 billion worth of MRAPs there. $7 billion. Down the dumper. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

[ConcernedCanuk]

3. "giving huge amounts of aid directly to a government known for corruption"

.
.
.

Gee

sounds like the dilemma of the USAmerican taxpayers . . .



CC

[bullwinkle428]

4. Kind of like when all that money that was flown into Iraq got stolen?

JESUS, we never fucking learn!

[Brigid]

5. Billions of dollars being flown into a war zone and they disappear?

I am shocked, I tell you! Just shocked!

That's billions of American taxpayer dollars, desperately needed at home, just tossed away! This deserved three

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

6. Not to mention the billions spent on Obama's "surge".....that failed.

[Comrade Grumpy]

8. We need to remind Congress of this next time they can't find money for food stamps.

[Brother Buzz]

9. I'm gonna take delivery of two Money Trunk Boxes full of this money, risky-free, as soon as....

I pony up $7,500 for a "Clearance Certificate".

[onethatcares]

10. thank gaud

that money wasn't wasted on food stamps here in the good old U.S. of A.

but on a sunnier note. It's way more than the 365 million in cash that got lost the first three days the Iraq Provisional Authority was
in business. Anyone know what Paul Bremer is doing lately?

Maybe they'll start putting these things in the guiness book of world records.