RASC News Agency: Mike Waltz, former National Security Adviser to President Trump, has accused the Taliban of exerting undue influence over United Nations contracts, asserting that under such circumstances, the American public is unwilling to see their tax dollars funneled through these channels. In an interview with NBC News on Sunday, Waltz stated that the Taliban effectively determine the winners and losers of these lucrative contracts. Recently, former U.S. President Donald Trump suspended humanitarian aid to Afghanistan. His administration, along with Republican lawmakers in Congress, has argued that over the past three years, the Taliban have directly benefited from international assistance. Despite this, reports indicate that U.S. funds continue to flow into Taliban-controlled territories.
Waltz confirmed that Afghanistan has received over $3 billion in humanitarian aid during this period, while sharply criticizing the United Nations’ oversight of these funds. He underscored that private contractors play a pivotal role in distributing U.S. assistance through the UN and alleged that the Taliban wield substantial influence over these contracting firms. “I do not believe the American people support allocating more than $3 billion to the Taliban through a network of UN-affiliated contractors contractors who, in practice, allow the Taliban to dictate who is rewarded and who is punished,” Waltz declared. He emphasized that the issue is substantiated by extensive evidence, adding, “We possess a wealth of documented proof confirming these claims. The last thing we need is more investigations or bureaucratic review commissions. The president demands decisive action, and that is precisely what he is delivering.”
Waltz also condemned the inefficiency of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which has now been integrated into the State Department. He argued that American aid has been mismanaged and has failed to serve the nation’s strategic interests. In a separate remark, Waltz pointed to the current administration’s failure to secure the release of American hostages from Taliban captivity. He contrasted this with a notable achievement of Trump’s team: a day before Donald Trump’s inauguration, two American citizens were freed in exchange for a Taliban prisoner. Ryan Corbett and William McEntee, who had endured prolonged detention under the Taliban, have since returned to the United States.
