Why ANSF Numbers Matter: Inaccurate and Unreliable Data, and Limited Oversight of On-Budget Assistance Put Millions of U.S. Taxpayer Dollars at Risk
Abstract
After 14 years, thousands of lost U.S. lives, hundreds of billions spent to support U.S. military operations, and almost $110 billion appropriated for the largest reconstruction effort in U.S. history, the United States is at a crossroads in Afghanistan. Although many U.S. troops have come home and Congress has reduced annual appropriations for Afghanistan reconstruction, there was still approximately $15 billion left to be spent for reconstruction as of March 31, 2015. Furthermore, the U.S. government has committed to spending billions more over the years to come until the Afghan government is able to sustain itself. In lieu of a large U.S. presence throughout Afghanistan, decision makers and implementing agencies, such as the Departments of Defense (DOD) and State, and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), are becoming more and more reliant on accurate and reliable data on the reconstruction effort produced by the Afghan government and other international partners. This includes basic information on the number of ANSF personnel. However, SIGAR's recent audits highlight concerns that neither the United States nor its Afghan allies truly know how many Afghan soldiers and police are available for duty, or, by extension, the true nature of their operational capabilities. Such basic information is especially critical now as we enter the 2015 fighting season with the Afghans fully responsible for their own security. In addition, this data forms the basis for all U.S. assistance to the ANSF.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 29, 2015
- Accession Number
- AD1140201
Entities
Organizations
- Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction