A key U.S. House of Representatives Democrat said she is cutting billions of dollars in aid to Afghanistan from spending legislation because she is outraged over reports of corruption and donor aid being flown out the country.
Representative Nita Lowey, who heads the House appropriations subcommittee on foreign aid, acted after a Wall Street Journal report said more than $3 billion in cash had been flown out of Kabul airport in the past three years, and that U.S. investigators think some of the money being flown out to safe havens is diverted U.S. aid.
She vowed not to spend "one more dime" on aid to Afghanistan until she can be sure it is not being abused. Lowey said in her statement she would only leave "lifesaving humanitarian aid" in the bill, which her committee will consider on Wednesday.
Her statement comes amid increasing doubts among U.S. lawmakers about President Obama's six-month-old troop buildup strategy against a resurgent Taliban.
Reuters
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