Lawfare Daily Watchdog Details $30B Waste in Afghanistan Reconstruction
Dec 4, 2025
A new report reveals that nearly $30 billion of U.S. spending on Afghanistan's reconstruction was wasted on failures and corruption. Poor planning and lack of oversight led to abandoned infrastructure, while Afghanistan's security forces collapsed despite extensive training. Counter-narcotics efforts yielded little success, and unrealistic goals ignored local realities. The findings stress the importance of accountability in future foreign interventions, highlighting that many projects were unsuitable for Afghan conditions.
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Strategy Failed To Match Reality
- The reconstruction lacked realistic strategy and was never properly planned or sustainable.
- The report says U.S. goals ignored Afghan political realities, undermining lasting success.
Scale Of Financial Waste
- Nearly $30 billion of $145 billion was wasted through failed projects, corruption, and mismanagement.
- About one in five reconstruction dollars is now considered wasted, the watchdog found.
Abandoned Infrastructure Examples
- Many projects collapsed before completion and infrastructure could not be maintained.
- Power plants, clinics, roads, and schools were left abandoned after withdrawal.