Major US Plan for Afghan Bases Falling Far Behind Schedule
Outgoing Special Inspector General Warns Program Could Take Years
Two weeks after resigning, outgoing Special Inspector General Arnold Fields today issued a warning on a major US project to build barracks and bases across Afghanistan, as part of the administration’s plan to dramatically increase the size of the Afghan security forces.
According to Fields, the $11.4 billion project was overbudget and far behind schedule. He added that the training and recruitment of forces, which itself has been often called a disaster, is far outpacing the construction of facilities for them.
The plan is just the latest in a growing series of US projects across Afghanistan which, though effective in dispersing billions of dollars to contractors, seems to fall far short of ever actually accomplishing anything.
Fields warned that the bases were so far behind schedule it was unclear if they would ever be finished, and that even if they were, it would be at least two years from now, and would force the US to delay its exit from the nation even further.
Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.
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