Suddenly, all Afghan reconstruction data made secret
For the first time in the long history of American military action in Afghanistan, a presidential administration has classified virtually all of the information that could be used to judge U.S. involvement and the use and effectiveness of some $65 billion in taxpayer money.
In its first quarterly report since President Obama proclaimed the end of U.S. combat involvement in that perpetually war-torn land, James F. Sopko, the Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction (SIGAR) wrote:
"After six years of being publicly reported, Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) data is now classified. The decision leaves SIGAR unable to publicly report on most of the $65 billion U.S.-taxpayer-funded efforts to build, train, equip, and sustain the ANSF. This includes Afghan troop numbers, salaries, training, equipment (including planes and helicopters), and infrastructure projects."
Gen. John Campbell, commander of coalition forces, said he could not explain the previous lack of secrecy.
But Campbell added: "I am compelled to also protect the lives of those individuals who could be put at risk by the release of sensitive information.” Presumably, some information could highlight weak spots in the Afghan military. Of course, the secrecy also covers up failed programs, corruption and poor planning and follow-ups.
A Pentagon spokesman described one concern as "unnecessarily highlighting possible vulnerabilities and capability gaps."
The IG wrote: "The classification of this volume of data is unprecedented." He also said the military had retroactively reclassified as secret some previously-provided data.
Classifying so much information theoretically denies it to the enemy and all but a few members of Congress and the military given access to the classified appendix.
But the darkness also conveniently removes any means for American taxpayers to independently judge the effectiveness of billions of dollars in aid and equipment ($39 billion more is in the pipeline) as well as of the training of Afghan troops by allies and some 9,500 remaining U.S. military in-country.
Obama has touted this training as proof that the U.S. is winding down the war "in a responsible fashion" and not just leaving, as he did from Iraq in 2011 after failing to negotiate a status of forces agreement.
In the six years of previous unclassified SIGAR reports, we learned that the national police force totaled about 150,000, the military around 180,000 and that some 35,000 had been dropped from Army rolls for a variety of reasons, including death, disability and desertion.
"This is the most transparent administration in history," Obama has claimed. "...It’s not sufficient for citizens to just take my word for it that we’re doing the right thing.”
Such an Obama claim is frequently disputed. You may recall, for instance, he often promised that all hearings on his ObamaCare legislation would be open to the public. Not. Then, there was the day in 2010 when VP Joe Biden met for a progress report with the administration's chief of transparency. But that meeting was closed.
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