Cornerstone Of Afghan Reconstruction Effort -- Roads -- Near-Total Failure

[Dschrute3]

16yrs. Unbelievable. How much longer is this longest war misery gonna drag on? When will enough, be enough?


Written by Peter Van Buren

One of the planned cornerstones of the 15+ year Afghan Reconstruction Effort was to be an extensive, nationwide network of roads.

The United States’ concept was roads would allow the Afghan economy to flourish as trade could reach throughout the country, security would be enhanced by the ability to move security forces quickly to where they were needed, and that the presence of the roads would serve as a literal symbol of the central government’s ability to extend its presence into the countryside.

The Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (SIGAR) released its audit of the Department of Defense’s and USAID’s $2.8 billion investment in Afghanistan’s road infrastructure.

The project has been a near-total failure. The audit notes:

— An Afghan Ministry of Public Works’ (MOPW) official stated 20 percent of the roads have been destroyed and the remaining 80 percent continue to deteriorate.

— USAID estimated that unless maintained, it would cost about $8.3 billion to replace Afghanistan’s road infrastructure, and estimated that 54 percent of Afghanistan’s road infrastructure suffered from poor maintenance and required rehabilitation beyond simple repairs...

More:
Cornerstone of Afghan Reconstruction Effort — Roads — is Near-Total Failure

 

[Fenton Lum]

We annexed Afghanistan, that's what we do, we don't come home, we're an empire. A faltering empire, but an empire nonetheless.

 

[Dschrute3]

We annexed Afghanistan, that's what we do, we don't come home, we're an empire. A faltering empire, but an empire nonetheless.

Appears so. It's exactly what our Founding Fathers warned about. 'Empire-Building' never ends well.

 

[Onyx]

Reconstruction was a total failure. Most of the money gets funneled to the Taliban, which is actually larger than it was in 2001.

The only success the US had in Afghanistan was creating a proxy state controlled by a puppet. It also allowed the stationing of US troops in the region, which is neighbors with Pakistan and its nuclear arsenal.

 

[Fenton Lum]

We annexed Afghanistan, that's what we do, we don't come home, we're an empire. A faltering empire, but an empire nonetheless.

Appears so. It's exactly what our Founding Fathers warned about. 'Empire-Building' never ends well.

We're hollowing out our own society to maintian the madness, it won't end well. This is how Athenian democracy went down; the empire brought it's colonial oppression and brutality home to "the people".

 

[Fenton Lum]

Reconstruction was a total failure. Most of the money gets funneled to the Taliban, which is actually larger than it was in 2001.

The only success the US had in Afghanistan was creating a proxy state controlled by a puppet. It also allowed the stationing of US troops in the region, which is neighbors with Pakistan and its nuclear arsenal.

Perhaps that was all that was every really intended anyway; permanent occupation.

 

[Onyx]

Perhpas that was all that was every really intended anyway.

They certainly don't like the Taliban cramping the style of the new puppet regime. The Taliban can't be eliminated because it is a civilian partisan army, and not a conventional military force.

 

[Dschrute3]

Reconstruction was a total failure. Most of the money gets funneled to the Taliban, which is actually larger than it was in 2001.

The only success the US had in Afghanistan was creating a proxy state controlled by a puppet. It also allowed the stationing of US troops in the region, which is neighbors with Pakistan and its nuclear arsenal.

Perhaps that was all that was every really intended anyway; permanent occupation.

Well said.

 

[Onyx]

We're hollowing out our own society to maintian the madness, it won't end well. This is how Athenian democracy went down; the empire brought it's colonial oppression and brutality home to "the people".

The Athenian republic fell because it was invaded by a much stronger Macedonia. There was no colonial empire.

 

[Dschrute3]

Perhpas that was all that was every really intended anyway.

They certainly don't like the Taliban cramping the style of the new puppet regime. The Taliban can't be eliminated because it is a civilian partisan army, and not a conventional military force.

Yeah, it usually is about installing those Puppet Regimes. It does look like our Government has no intention of ever leaving Afghanistan. Must be some minerals and precious metals for the Globalist Elites to plunder there.

 

[Fenton Lum]

Perhpas that was all that was every really intended anyway.

They certainly don't like the Taliban cramping the style of the new puppet regime. The Taliban can't be eliminated because it is a civilian partisan army, and not a conventional military force.

" Washington was ecstatic about the findings and in 2010 claimed that at least $1 trillion in resources was up for grabs. “There is stunning potential here,” said Gen. David Petraeus, then the head of US Central Command, speaking to The New York Times. US officials said that the deposits could sustain the Afghan economy and generate thousands of jobs, reducing corruption and reliance on foreign aid. Currently, with 60 percent of the country’s budget provided by foreign donors, outside investment is crucial. Acknowledging the inability of the Afghan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum to handle a burgeoning resource industry, the US government pledged to help implement accountability mechanisms. However, regulations like the mining law—revised in 2014 to bring greater transparency—have had little effect on illegal mining and the non-payment of royalties."

Natural Resources Were Supposed to Make Afghanistan Rich. Here’s What’s Happening to Them.

Economic colonialism. This is what our military is for these days.

 

[Dschrute3]

Perhpas that was all that was every really intended anyway.

They certainly don't like the Taliban cramping the style of the new puppet regime. The Taliban can't be eliminated because it is a civilian partisan army, and not a conventional military force.

" Washington was ecstatic about the findings and in 2010 claimed that at least $1 trillion in resources was up for grabs. “There is stunning potential here,” said Gen. David Petraeus, then the head of US Central Command, speaking to The New York Times. US officials said that the deposits could sustain the Afghan economy and generate thousands of jobs, reducing corruption and reliance on foreign aid. Currently, with 60 percent of the country’s budget provided by foreign donors, outside investment is crucial. Acknowledging the inability of the Afghan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum to handle a burgeoning resource industry, the US government pledged to help implement accountability mechanisms. However, regulations like the mining law—revised in 2014 to bring greater transparency—have had little effect on illegal mining and the non-payment of royalties."

Natural Resources Were Supposed to Make Afghanistan Rich. Here’s What’s Happening to Them.

Economic colonialism. This is what our military is for these days.

Good ole US, just there to 'help.'

 

[Fenton Lum]

We're hollowing out our own society to maintian the madness, it won't end well. This is how Athenian democracy went down; the empire brought it's colonial oppression and brutality home to "the people".

The Athenian republic fell because it was invaded by a much stronger Macedonia. There was no colonial empire.

Others disagree.

The Establishment of an Athenian Empire
The victorious Greeks decided in 478 B.C. to continue a naval alliance in order to attack the Persian outposts that still existed in far northern Greece and western Anatolia, especially Ionia. The Spartans naturally assumed leadership of this alliance, continuing the position that they had held at the had of the Greek coalition formed to resist the invasion of Xerxes. The conduct of the Spartan commander, Pausanias2, soon caused disaffection among the Greek allies, however, and Athens soon took over the position of hegemon (leader by consensus) of the alliance. This change in leadership marked the beginning of the establishment of what would become an Athenian Empire.
Thomas R. Martin, An Overview of Classical Greek History from Mycenae to Alexander, Athenian Empire in the Golden Age

Ancient Greece: The Age of Pericles: The Athenian Empire

Greece The Athenian Empire - Flags, Maps, Economy, Geography, Climate, Natural Resources, Current Issues, International Agreements, Population, Social Statistics, Political System

The Rise and Fall of the Athenian Empire

 

[Fenton Lum]

Perhpas that was all that was every really intended anyway.

They certainly don't like the Taliban cramping the style of the new puppet regime. The Taliban can't be eliminated because it is a civilian partisan army, and not a conventional military force.

" Washington was ecstatic about the findings and in 2010 claimed that at least $1 trillion in resources was up for grabs. “There is stunning potential here,” said Gen. David Petraeus, then the head of US Central Command, speaking to The New York Times. US officials said that the deposits could sustain the Afghan economy and generate thousands of jobs, reducing corruption and reliance on foreign aid. Currently, with 60 percent of the country’s budget provided by foreign donors, outside investment is crucial. Acknowledging the inability of the Afghan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum to handle a burgeoning resource industry, the US government pledged to help implement accountability mechanisms. However, regulations like the mining law—revised in 2014 to bring greater transparency—have had little effect on illegal mining and the non-payment of royalties."

Natural Resources Were Supposed to Make Afghanistan Rich. Here’s What’s Happening to Them.

Economic colonialism. This is what our military is for these days.

Good ole US, just there to 'help.'

Yeah, help ourselves; our corporate state elites.

 

[Dschrute3]

Perhpas that was all that was every really intended anyway.

They certainly don't like the Taliban cramping the style of the new puppet regime. The Taliban can't be eliminated because it is a civilian partisan army, and not a conventional military force.

" Washington was ecstatic about the findings and in 2010 claimed that at least $1 trillion in resources was up for grabs. “There is stunning potential here,” said Gen. David Petraeus, then the head of US Central Command, speaking to The New York Times. US officials said that the deposits could sustain the Afghan economy and generate thousands of jobs, reducing corruption and reliance on foreign aid. Currently, with 60 percent of the country’s budget provided by foreign donors, outside investment is crucial. Acknowledging the inability of the Afghan Ministry of Mines and Petroleum to handle a burgeoning resource industry, the US government pledged to help implement accountability mechanisms. However, regulations like the mining law—revised in 2014 to bring greater transparency—have had little effect on illegal mining and the non-payment of royalties."

Natural Resources Were Supposed to Make Afghanistan Rich. Here’s What’s Happening to Them.

Economic colonialism. This is what our military is for these days.

Good ole US, just there to 'help.'

Yeah, help ourselves; our corporate state elites.

Yup. There has to be a lot worth plundering in Afghanistan. I mean, 16yrs? Really? The longest War in US history. The Globalist Elites must see big Dollars there.

 

[Timmy]

I heard Billy Joel's "we didn't start the fire " the other day . An old 80s hit . There's that one part where he says "Russians in Afghanistan ". Wtf , now we are the suckers in Afghan .

 

[Dschrute3]

I heard Billy Joel's "we didn't start the fire " the other day . An old 80s hit . There's that one part where he says "Russians in Afghanistan ". Wtf , now we are the suckers in Afghan .

The Globalist Elites must have found resources to plunder there. We should have left after we got Bin Laden. 16yrs is way too long.

 

[Onyx]

Others disagree.

What's there to disagree about? The Athenian republic extended the region of Attica.

 

[Fenton Lum]

Others disagree.

What's there to disagree about? The Athenian republic extended the region of Attica.

This was a response to "The Athenian republic fell because it was invaded by a much stronger Macedonia. There was no colonial empire."

Extension and expansion speaks to empire, thanks.

 

[Onyx]

This was a response to "The Athenian republic fell because it was invaded by a much stronger Macedonia. There was no colonial empire."

Extension and expansion speaks to empire, thanks.

WTF are you even talking about?You said athenian democracy fell because they brought their colonial empire back home. They didn't have a colonial empire.

Macedonia is not Athens.