Republicans Blast Joe Biden Over $10.9 Million Allegedly Reaching Taliban
GOP Criticizes Joe Biden Administration for Mismanagement of $2.8 Billion Afghan Aid
According to Fox News, House Republicans are expressing strong disapproval towards the Joe Biden administration following reports that a significant portion of U.S. humanitarian aid sent to Afghanistan ended up in the hands of the Taliban. During a recent House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee hearing Chairman Rep. Brian Mast R-Fla. criticized several State Department expenditures highlighting the lack of proper oversight. Rep. Mast pointed to the $2.8 billion in humanitarian aid directed to Afghanistan after the chaotic U.S. withdrawal in 2021 which resulted in the Taliban regaining control of Kabul. This aid was meant to support Afghan civilians during a period of significant upheaval. However, a report indicated that tens of millions of dollars from this fund went directly to the Taliban a revelation Mast described as just the “tip of the iceberg” in terms of federal mismanagement.
The head of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Rep. Michael McCaul a Republican from Texas responded to a story earlier this year. The study discovered that at least $10.9 million in public funds from the United States had made their way to the Taliban. McCaul said that the Joe Biden administration needed to move quickly to stop the Taliban from receiving any more U.S. funding because he found this to be intolerable. This alarming assessment was provided by the 2008-established Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). According to SIGAR‘s conclusions the almost $11 million that was found was probably only a tiny percentage of the entire amount of money that the Taliban obtained from taxes, fees, duties and utilities among other sources. Rep. Mast also criticized a $500,000 State Department grant aimed at promoting atheism in Nepal arguing it was an inappropriate use of taxpayer money. The State Department however has defended this grant with Deputy Secretary of State Richard Verma clarifying in March that the grant was not intended to promote atheism.
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GOP Calls for Accountability of Joe Biden After $2.8 Billion Afghan Aid Mismanagement
Furthermore, the hearing underscored broader concerns about U.S. foreign aid and the effectiveness of federal oversight, especially in the context of geopolitical competition with nations like China, Russia and Iran. Mast emphasized that these examples of misallocated funds represent an “America Last” approach, which he finds deeply troubling. As the debate continues Republicans are calling for greater accountability and more stringent measures to ensure U.S. funds are used appropriately and do not end up supporting adversarial regimes like the Taliban.