Inspector General: American Taxpayer Dollars, Aid Could Be Going to the Taliban

April 20, 2023
Special inspector general for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) John Sopko testified to Congress that American taxpayer money might be being stolen by the Taliban.
Screenshot: Twitter Video - @GOPoversight

Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) John Sopko testified to Congress that American taxpayer money might be ending up with the Taliban.

The Afghanistan watchdog made the shocking claim speaking with lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee Wednesday.

Sopko was trying to convey that aid from the United States may be getting picked off by the Taliban instead of going to those in need.

“While I agree, and we all agree Afghanistan faces a dire humanitarian and economic situation, it is critical that our assistance not be diverted by the Taliban,” he said.

“Unfortunately, as I sit here today, I cannot assure this committee or the American taxpayer we are not currently funding the Taliban.”

“Nor can I assure you that the Taliban are not diverting the money we are sending from the intended recipients, which are the poor Afghan people,” added Sopko.

They already got billions in advanced weaponry from Uncle Sam, what’s a few more dollars?

RELATED: Biden Rejects Army Report Warning Of Afghanistan Debacle: ‘That’s Not What I Was Told’

Taxpayers Funding the Taliban

The Special Inspector General proceeded to tell lawmakers that basic observations seem to indicate the Taliban is thieving taxpayer aid to Afghanistan.

“I would just say, I haven’t seen a starving Taliban fighter on TV, they all seem to be fat, dumb, and happy,” Sopko said.

“I see a lot of starving Afghan children on TV, so I’m wondering where all this funding is going.”

So are the American people. Or, at least they should be.

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Afghanistan: Biden’s Biggest Blunder

Sopko indicated to Congress that the United States has appropriated roughly $2 billion in humanitarian aid to Afghanistan.

Another $3.5 billion is expected to come in through an international fund as well.

Sopko also blasted the Biden State Department for a lack of cooperation in oversight efforts, saying the administration has not complied with SIGAR audits and various inquiries.

“The lack of cooperation by State … is unprecedented in the nearly 12 years that I have been the SIGAR, and I must add, in the two decades that I did congressional oversight both in the Senate and in the House,” Sopko testified.

The startling testimony comes following the release of a SIGAR report casting blame on the Biden administration for “bureaucratic dysfunction and understaffing” in trying to resettle Afghan allies.

The report spotlights a promise made by President Biden to Afghans just one month prior to the disastrous withdrawal in August of 2021.

“There is a home for you in the United States if you so choose, and we will stand with you, just as you stood with us,” said Biden.

The report, however, states that “the United States has left most of its allies behind” and “it will take a year, on average, until each family reaches safety.”

The Biden administration’s own analysis of the Afghanistan withdrawal contends that the blame falls squarely on the shoulders of the President’s predecessor.

A 2022 Army report revealed multiple commanders involved in the withdrawal operation gave sworn testimony indicating the administration failed to grasp the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, putting American troops in greater danger.

White House officials, the report stated, “failed to grasp the Taliban’s steady advance on Afghanistan’s capital.”

The Biden administration’s withdrawal from Afghanistan led to a suicide bombing that killed 13 service members, a ‘retaliatory’ drone strike by the United States that killed 10 civilians – including an aid worker and 7 children – and countless Americans being left behind in the Taliban-controlled country for an extensive period of time.

In addition to the 13 service members who died in the suicide bombing outside of Kabul airport, another 45 were wounded in the blast, some suffering brain injuries.

Additionally, reports began surfacing of the Taliban getting their hands on American military equipment quickly after the United States withdrew from Afghanistan.

The overall net worth of that equipment has been disputed, as figures for funding the Afghan army included not just weapons, but the cost of training and other items.

What isn’t disputed, however, is that equipment was left behind for the Taliban to acquire.

Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby admitted the Biden administration didn’t have “any policy solutions” to recoup or destroy the weapons.

The Taliban later held a parade with the equipment acquired following the withdrawal.

Oversight Chair James Comer (R-KY) blasted President Biden for the Taliban takeover.

“Today, the Taliban flag flies over Kabul,” Comer said. “This is Joe Biden’s legacy.”

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By Rusty Weiss

Rusty Weiss has been covering politics for over 15 years. His writings have appeared in the Daily Caller, Fox... More about Rusty Weiss

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