Accountability humanitarian aid

As weary US military planners wrapped up the evacuation and pullout from Afghanistan one year ago, officials across the government steeled themselves for intense public scrutiny into how America’s longest war ended in shambles with the Taliban retaking power. But as the United States marks the first anniversary of the withdrawal this month, some US officials and experts say President Joe Biden’s administration has moved on without properly assessing lessons from the 20-year war and the Taliban victory. Nor has there been public accountability for the chaotic evacuation operation that saw 13 US service members killed at Kabul’s airport and hundreds of US citizens and tens of thousands of Afghans left behind, they said. “We need to open up that ugly history book called the 20 years in Afghanistan and see why we fail,” said John Sopko, the US special inspector general tapped with tracking some $146 billion in reconstruction aid. These lessons are especially crucial now as the … [Read more...] about Afghanistan Conflict: Year After America’s Longest War Ended, Accountability from Biden Admin in Short Supply

Samantha Power won fame as a human rights advocate and was picked by President Joe Biden to lead the agency that distributes billions of dollars in U.S. aid abroad, including providing more food assistance than anyone else in the world. But since Russia invaded Ukraine, that job includes a new task with a Cold War feel—countering Russia's messaging abroad. As administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development, Power is dealing now with a global food crisis, brought on by local conflicts, the pandemic's economic upheaval, and drought and the other extremes typical of climate change. As the Biden administration spells out often, the problems have all been compounded by Russia invading Ukraine, deepening food shortages and raising prices everywhere. That set up an hearts-and-minds competition reminiscent of the days of the Soviet Union last month, when Power visited desperate families and struggling farmers in Horn of Africa nations. She watched relief workers give … [Read more...] about How U.S. aid chief Samantha Power is fighting global food crisis and Russia

close Video Fox News Flash top headlines for August 10 Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. NEW You can now listen to Fox News articles! Powerful Iraqi Shi'ite Muslim cleric Moqtada al-Sadr on Wednesday called on the country's judiciary to dissolve parliament by end of next week, threatening unspecific consequences if it does not do what he says. The populist leader has helped inflame tensions in Iraq over the last two weeks by commanding thousands of followers to storm and occupy parliament, preventing the formation of a government nearly 10 months after elections. His political opponents, mostly fellow Shi'ites backed by Iran, have refused to accede to Sadr's demands, raising fears of fresh unrest and violence in a conflict-weary Iraq. 44 PALESTINIANS DEAD IN 'BLOODY WEEKEND' FOR ISRAEL A veiled woman protester holds an Iraqi flag as people gather near the Green … [Read more...] about Iraq’s Sadr tells judiciary to dissolve parliament in a week