Armed Forces News

Even as the U.S. tries to extract itself from the longest sustained war in its history, the situation in Afghanistan remains dangerous, according to the latest official assessment. “The reconstruction of Afghanistan is in a perilous state,” John F. Sopko, the Special Investigator for Afghanistan Reconstruction, told an audience at Harvard University April 7. Sopko went on to say that the costs for Afghanistan — $113 billion so far – exceed that of the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe. Nonetheless, he said, the rebuilding effort has been plagued by problems relating to corruption, sustainability, contract management, and strategy and planning. “To be fair … U.S. agencies have had reconstruction successes in Afghanistan. Despite ongoing violence, the Afghan people are healthier, better schooled, and less impoverished than they were 15 years ago. But it is the disappointments and failures that threaten achievement of objectives and stewardship of taxpayers’ dollars,” Sopko said.  `