Afghanistan watchdog accuses State Department of stonewalling oversight -
Testifying before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee on Wednesday, Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction John Sopko warned lawmakers that if the department’s stonewalling continues, it would have lasting consequences on Congress’ access to independent oversight.
Since starting in 2008, the SIGAR has reported on fraud, waste and mismanagement of U.S. funds in Afghanistan, providing a crucial window into the two-decade-long war. “Unfortunately, as I sit here today, I cannot assure this committee or the American taxpayer that we are not currently funding the Taliban,” Mr. Sopko told lawmakers Wednesday. “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.”
Mr. Sopko’s warnings compounded Republican vitriol over the administration’s rushed withdrawal of U.S. troops that culminated in a suicide blast killing 13 U.S. service members and wounding 18 and left the country under the rule of Islamic fundamentalists. Wednesday’s House oversight committee hearing, which featured witness testimony from Pentagon, State Department and U.S. Agency for International Development inspectors general in addition to Mr. Sopko, was the first in a series of hearings on the withdrawal promised by House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer.“In August 2021, Joe Biden lost that war. There was no exit with dignity. It was a panic, and 13 American servicemembers were murdered by a suicide bomber,” he said. “The U.S.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Austin ISD requests review of state’s plan to manage its special education departmentThe Texas Education Agency announced last month it wanted to install conservators to oversee special education services in the district. The proposal came after an investigation that found AISD repeatedly failed to meet the needs of students with disabilities.
Read more »
US State Department nods F-16 modernisation kits sale to Türkiye: SourcesUS State Department notifies Congress of its approval of the sale to Türkiye of Link-16 tactical data link modernisation kits for F-16 jets, sources familiar with the matter say
Read more »
US State Department establishes special taskforce to deal with Sudan crisis | CNN PoliticsThe US State Department has established a special taskforce to deal with the crisis in Sudan, a spokesperson told CNN Tuesday.
Read more »
Rejected State Supt. Robert Taylor says the situation ‘puts a stain on the state’'I like to think (race) didn’t play a role, but I do believe that politics had everything to do with it,” Taylor said.
Read more »
Passport processing delays frustrating Americans who need to travel abroadMendez wrote a letter to the U.S. Department of State asking the department to explore ways to bring down wait times, like improving the online passport renewal initiative.
Read more »