The chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan remains a stark reminder of a foreign policy disaster. However, a lesser-known consequence is the ongoing flow of American cash to the Taliban, a situation that demands closer scrutiny. Despite the widely acknowledged failures of the withdrawal, the Biden administration continues a practice that effectively sends US dollars into Taliban-controlled Afghanistan on a weekly basis.
When US forces departed Afghanistan, they left behind a staggering $7 billion worth of military equipment, an arsenal that ultimately fell into the hands of the Taliban. Adding to this, reports from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) indicate that the Taliban likely gained access to approximately $57.6 million in funds initially intended for the former Afghan government. Yet, these figures represent only the initial financial fallout. A more concerning trend has emerged since the withdrawal: the continuous transfer of US currency to Afghanistan.
According to a SIGAR report, referencing World Bank data from August 2023, the United Nations has facilitated the purchase, transport, and transfer of an astounding $2.9 billion in US dollars to Afghanistan since August 2021. This includes $1.8 billion in 2022 and a further $1.1 billion in 2023, as of August. The United States stands as the largest international donor to Afghanistan, contributing approximately $2.6 billion in funding to the UN and other organizations operating within the country since the withdrawal.
The UN justifies these cash shipments by citing the lack of a functional banking infrastructure in Afghanistan capable of handling electronic transfers. To delve deeper into this issue, a recent podcast featured “Legend,” an Afghan American and former US Army noncommissioned officer with multiple deployments to Afghanistan. Legend, introduced by Shawn Ryan, a respected podcast host and former Navy SEAL and CIA contractor, offered firsthand insights into the realities on the ground.
Legend confirmed the unsettling truth: “Yes, the money does end up feeding and supporting the Taliban.” He detailed the process: the United Nations physically flies US dollars from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York to the Afghanistan Central Bank in Kabul, an institution now managed by a US-sanctioned terrorist. This central bank then conducts weekly “auctions,” where entities bid for the opportunity to exchange these dollars for the local Afghan currency, Afghani. Disturbingly, the consistent winner of these auctions is reportedly someone associated with the Haqqani Network, a known terror group with established links to Al-Qaeda.
These individuals convert the US dollars into Afghani for distribution within Afghanistan. However, a significant portion of this money is believed to remain within the Haqqani Network and among the terrorists managing the central bank. The remaining funds are ostensibly channeled to local implementing parties or non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The crucial point, however, is that the Taliban controls the issuance of NGO licenses within Afghanistan. This creates a system where Taliban sympathizers can easily obtain licenses, effectively allowing funds to be funneled directly to the Taliban or to support the families of suicide bombers.
Legend further suggested that halting these weekly cash payments could have a significant impact, potentially leading to the collapse of the Taliban and associated terror groups within a year. Ironically, these very cash shipments, estimated at $40 million weekly, have stabilized the Afghani. In a surprising turn, the Taliban’s newly printed currency even outperformed the US dollar in September 2023, becoming the world’s best-performing currency.
This situation raises serious questions about the Biden administration’s awareness and policy. Both President Biden and Vice President Harris were in positions of power during the 1990s when the Taliban previously ruled Afghanistan with brutal oppression. During that era, women were systematically denied their rights, and the Taliban provided safe haven to al-Qaeda, culminating in the 9/11 attacks.
Despite the Taliban’s history, and their takeover of Afghanistan in 2021, initial statements suggesting a reformed approach have proven hollow. A Taliban spokesperson declared, “Nobody will be harmed in Afghanistan. Of course, there is a huge difference between us now and 20 years ago.” This statement, in retrospect, was demonstrably false.
The Taliban’s return to oppressive rule was swift and decisive. Initially, they imposed restrictions on women’s mobility, limiting their travel without male relatives. This was followed by barring women from education and then erasing women from public life by banning their faces and voices from public spaces and prohibiting women from even looking at unrelated men. Afghan women are once again prisoners in their own country, mirroring the oppressive conditions of the 1990s, while, controversially, American money may be indirectly funding their oppressors.
The notion that American taxpayer dollars could be inadvertently supporting terrorism is unacceptable. Recognizing this issue, Congressman Tim Burchett introduced a bill aimed at stopping these payments. This bill proposes three key actions: First, it formally declares US policy opposition to supporting the Taliban, mandates a report on foreign countries aiding the Taliban, and directs the Secretary of State to develop a strategy to discourage such support. Second, it demands a comprehensive report on cash assistance programs in Afghanistan, focusing on safeguards to prevent Taliban access. Third, it requires a detailed report on the Afghan Fund and the Afghanistan central bank, outlining controls in place to prevent fund diversion or misuse.
Congressman Burchett’s bill, H.R. 6586, successfully passed the House of Representatives. However, it currently awaits a vote in the Senate. This issue should transcend partisan lines and garner bipartisan support to ensure its passage.
The Afghanistan withdrawal inflicted immense losses: Afghan lives, American lives, and the freedoms of Afghan women. Among the fallen US servicemembers was Army Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, a constituent of Congressman Burchett, who volunteered to return to Afghanistan during the evacuation and tragically lost his life.
Honoring the sacrifices made in Afghanistan demands concrete action. A crucial step is to immediately halt the flow of American taxpayer dollars to the Taliban. It is time to unequivocally declare: no more American money for terrorists.
