Consider This from NPR The U.S. spent billions to rebuild Afghanistan. Was it successful?
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Dec 20, 2025 In this insightful discussion, John Sopko, the former Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, shares critical findings from SIGAR's final report. He reveals that a staggering $144 billion was spent on reconstruction, yet much of it was wasted. Sopko highlights specific failures, like unusable airplanes and underperforming power plants, and discusses how overspending overwhelmed local capabilities. He also points out that U.S. alliances inadvertently fostered corruption, leaving him pessimistic about future lessons learned.
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Massive Spending, Massive Failure
- The U.S. spent $144 billion on Afghan reconstruction and the vast majority failed according to SIGAR's final report.
- Sopko estimates $26–$29 billion was wasted through audits, investigations, and inspections.
The Junkyard Planes Purchase
- Sopko recounts buying 20 G-222 transport planes from a Sicilian junkyard that cost about $480 million.
- The planes were essentially unusable and parts fell off when flown, making the purchase a clear waste.
Unused $335M Power Plant
- SIGAR found a $335 million USAID power plant operating at less than 1% capacity.
- The plant was high-quality but lacked a grid connection and local need, so it sat mostly unused.