Web Desk: The US special Inspector General on the 20-year war and reconstruction struggle in Afghanistan released a final report that revealed major strategic failures, massive spending and widespread corruption.
The report said sidelining the Afghan government during US-Taliban Doha talks weakened the state structure and governance.
Between 2002 and 2021, the United States allocated $144.7 billion for Afghanistan’s reconstruction and spent $137.3 billion an amount exceeding the Marshall Plan for Europe after World War II. Afghan government corruption emerged as the biggest obstacle, while the US spent an additional $763 billion on military operations.
Despite $90 billion spent on Afghan security forces they remained dependent on foreign troops and collapsed rapidly after the US withdrawal.
The report exposed issues such as ghost employees, fuel theft, and misuse of resources, even after providing Afghan forces with over 427,000 weapons, 147,000 vehicles, and 162 aircraft. Around $7.1 billion worth of military equipment was left behind after the withdrawal.
The report noted that counter-narcotics and stabilization programs failed despite billions in funding. Over 2,450 US soldiers were killed and more than 20,700 wounded in the war.
After Kabul’s fall, the US allocated $14.2 billion for Afghan refugee relocation and provided $3.83 billion in aid to Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and including $120 million in a single quarter of March 2025.
The report said that international donors channeled $8.1 billion through UN-led projects and while the Taliban imposed taxes and levies on aid. The report said that despite unprecedented spending, reconstruction outcomes remained deeply disappointing.
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