US reconstruction projects in Afghanistan are “political corruption” by Pentagon officials and a way to steal American tax money, an American journalist in Phoenix says.
“What the American people and the people of the world need to realize is that many of these Defense Department reconstruction projects are nothing but political corruption,” said Mike Harris, a financial editor at VT.
“They don’t have the best interest of the Afghan people at heart, but it (reconstruction projects) makes great political rhetoric,” Harris told Press TV on Thursday.
“The American people are in a very, very sad state right now where corruption has over taken every aspect of our government and there’s really no one or no agency or any part of our government that can be trusted,” he added.
A US government watchdog has found that a Defense Department agency wasted millions of dollars on reconstruction projects in Afghanistan.
John Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (SIGAR), accused the Task Force for Business and Stability Operations (TFBSO) of “poorly planned and ill-conceived projects” in Afghanistan.
TFBSO, a division of the Pentagon established in 2006 to “stabilize” the post-invasion Afghan and Iraqi economy, has spent some $800 million on development projects over a five-year period.
The US Congress created SIGAR to provide independent and objective oversight of the Afghanistan and Iraq reconstruction funds.
Speaking before senators from a special committee on military management, Sopko said had “not been able to find credible evidence showing [the task force’s] activities in Afghanistan produced the intended economic growth or stabilization outcomes that justified its creation.”
“On the contrary, [its] legacy in Afghanistan is marred by unfinished, poorly planned, and ill-conceived projects.” The US and its allies invaded Afghanistan on October 7, 2001 as part of Washington’s so-called war on terror. The offensive removed the Taliban from power, but after 15 years, the foreign troops have still not been able to establish security in the country.
Despite a previous pledge to withdraw all US troops from Afghanistan by the end of next year, US President Barack Obama has announced plans to keep 5,500 of the troops in the country when he leaves office in 2017.
Mike Harris is the Veteran’s Today Financial Editor and podcast radio show host of Short End of the Stick. Mr. Harris has enjoyed 30+ yrs in the manufacturing, financial, and technology sectors. He’s been core to numerous domestic and international start-ups, acquisitions, and mergers, skyrocketing profit margins through a highly cooperative/collaborative team approach. His sharp intellect and fluid intuition were a significant boon during his 2005/6 run for the Governor of Arizona where he emphasized the need to initiate immediate, practical, working solutions to the issues at hand.
From 1995 to 2000 Mr. Harris served as a technical advisor to the Committee on Science and Technology of the US Congress, as well as sitting as Chairman of various boards over the years. With an MBA in finance, from a foundation in Applied Physics and Economics, he has proven an exceptional ability to function well above and beyond “the box”. Dubbed “Iron Mike” through his many years as a martial artist, Mr. Harris has clearly demonstrated the resiliency to take blows and to come back fighting. This extraordinary skill-set he now brings to his ultimate Vision for a free, abundant, and prosperous society.
ATTENTION READERS
We See The World From All Sides and Want YOU To Be Fully InformedIn fact, intentional disinformation is a disgraceful scourge in media today. So to assuage any possible errant incorrect information posted herein, we strongly encourage you to seek corroboration from other non-VT sources before forming an educated opinion.
About VT - Policies & Disclosures - Comment Policy
