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The U.S. government gave $1.1 billion in U.S. tax dollars to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan successful humanitarian aid since the U.S. withdrawal successful August 2021 — and a apical national watchdog says several U.S. agencies are refusing to explicate however the wealth was spent.
The U.S. government remains Afghanistan’s azygous largest donor much than 1 twelvemonth aft the Taliban takeover of the state and the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) says for the archetypal clip successful past — they don’t person the answers.
Taliban members thrust successful a convoy to observe the archetypal day of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, on a thoroughfare successful Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 31, 2022. (Reuters/Ali Khara/File Photo)
In SIGAR’s quarterly study to Congress the Inspector General explains that they are incapable to way down however much than $1 billion taxpayer dollars was spent due to the fact that aggregate authorities agencies are refusing to cooperate.
Inspector General John F. Sopko says, "SIGAR, for the archetypal clip successful its history, is incapable this 4th to supply Congress and the American radical with a afloat accounting of this U.S. authorities spending owed to the noncooperation of respective U.S. authorities agencies." Sopko adds that some United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which administers the bulk of U.S. authorities spending for Afghanistan, and the Treasury Department "refused to cooperate with SIGAR successful immoderate capacity."
The Inspector General says the State Department was "selective" astir what accusation it provided and failed to supply details of the agency-supported programs that the cardinal dollars successful payer wealth funded.
U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida speaks astatine the Turning Point USA's (TPUSA) Student Action Summit (SAS) successful Tampa, Fla., U.S., July 23, 2022. (Reuters/Joe Skipper / Reuters Photos)
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FOX Business exclusively obtained letters from Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) to Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and US AID Administrator Samantha Power — demanding accountability implicit $1.1 billion in payer wealth that has been funneled to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan since the U.S. military's exit.
Gaetz wrote successful his letters: "I recovered it adjacent much shocking, and maddening, that overmuch of these illicit money transfers are unaccounted for due to the fact that your Department withheld accusation successful usurpation of national law."
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A spokesperson with USAID says they person been cooperating with the inspector wide and person provided hundreds of pages of documents and dozens of evaluations responding to requests for information.
A Treasury spokesperson tells FOX Business, "Treasury has complied with each ineligible requirements and shared accusation with SIGAR."
The White House and State Department did not respond to FOX Business anterior to publication. A authorities section spokesperson told Bloomberg that they person answered dozens of questions and provided thousands of pages of documents to SIGAR — and points retired that the inspector general’s mandate does not screen humanitarian assistance — lone funds spent connected Afghanistan’s reconstruction which the US ended with the Taliban takeover.
Afghan girls clasp flags of the Islamic Emirate portion participating successful the archetypal day of the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, connected a thoroughfare successful Kabul, Afghanistan, Aug. 31, 2022. (Reuters/Ali Khara / Reuters Photos)
Gaetz told FOX Business that SIGAR’s bombshell study is simply a "searing" indictment of the Biden administration’s deficiency of transparency compared to anterior administrations.
"57 times erstwhile SIGAR has issued their quarterly study they person declined to level this benignant of an indictment against [the] Trump Administration, the Obama Administration, oregon the Bush Administration … the unwillingness to enactment successful transparency is the highest with the Biden authorities aft the Biden authorities near the Taliban a subject and present insists connected unreviewed transfers of assistance that has already transcend a cardinal dollars."
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Republicans accidental this volition beryllium a apical contented if they instrumentality power of the House following Tuesday’s midterm election and person subpoena power, "We are entering the epoch of investigations and oversight and successful the upcoming Republicans Congress we’re going to person an quality to haul successful administrative officials and get answers.
"This is going to beryllium adjacent the apical of my database connected the Armed Services Committee," Gaetz said.
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