40% of Afghan Aid Returns to Donor Countries, Says Report

The US and the UK toppled the Taliban regime in Afghanistan in 2001, and NATO forces have battled extremists since. In the six years since, the Western nations have spent more on military endeavors than on health, education or economic initiatives. Wealthy nations have not come though with amounts originally pledged, and a substantial percentage of aid money that did come through went for consultants, hefty salaries and corporate profits, meaning that funds circled right back to wealthy nations. International aid represents 90 percent of all public spending, according to a report from Acbar, an alliance of international aid agencies. “A disproportionate amount of aid follows the conflict and is being used for political and military objectives rather than reducing poverty,” writes Richard Norton-Taylor for the Guardian. A heavy foreign military presence combined with severe poverty and ineffective aid programs allows extremism to flourish. – YaleGlobal